Related Experiment Videos
Early pathological changes in the parkinsonian brain demonstrated by diffusion tensor MRI.
K Yoshikawa1, Y Nakata, K Yamada
1Department of Neurology, Research Institute for Neurological Diseases and Geriatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. kyoshika@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|February 18, 2004
Summary
Fractional anisotropy (FA) is decreased in the nigrostriatal pathway of Parkinson's disease patients, even in early stages. This finding suggests significant neuronal loss occurs before symptom onset and may aid in early Parkinson's diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway.
- Early diagnosis of PD is crucial for timely intervention and management.
- Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) offers insights into white matter microstructure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in fractional anisotropy (FA) within the nigrostriatal projection in patients with Parkinson's disease.
- To assess the potential of FA as an early diagnostic marker for Parkinson's disease.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was employed to measure FA values.
- FA was compared between 12 patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and 8 age-matched healthy controls.
- Regions of interest were defined along the nigrostriatal pathway, encompassing the substantia nigra and the putamen/caudate complex.
Main Results:
- Significantly reduced FA was observed in the nigrostriatal projection of Parkinson's disease patients compared to controls.
- This decrease in FA was evident even in the early clinical stages of the disease.
- The region exhibiting decreased FA corresponds to the location of the majority of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.
Conclusions:
- The observed reduction in FA likely reflects the significant loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway.
- A substantial proportion of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons may be lost prior to the clinical manifestation of Parkinson's disease.
- FA measurement in the basal ganglia shows promise as a non-invasive tool for the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.