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Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Combined diffusion tensor imaging and transverse relaxometry in early-onset bipolar disorder
Atilla Gönenç1, Jean A Frazier, David J Crowley
1Harvard Medical School and the Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. ag@mclean.harvard.edu
Insights
Children with bipolar disorder (BD) show decreased T2 values in right cingulate-paracingulate white matter, suggesting altered cerebral blood flow. Some evidence also points to potential myelin damage on the left side in early-onset BD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Psychiatry
Background:
- Transverse relaxation time (T2) imaging assesses membrane fluidity, impacting cellular functions.
- Bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex psychiatric condition affecting individuals from a young age.
- Previous research indicates potential white matter abnormalities in pediatric BD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate T2 abnormalities in the white matter of children with unmodified DSM-IV-TR bipolar disorder (BD).
- To examine the cingulate-paracingulate (CPC) white matter region in pediatric BD.
- To explore potential differences in T2 values between individuals with BD and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5 Tesla was performed on 21 children/adolescents with BD and 16 healthy controls.
- Region-of-interest analysis was used to compare T2 values in the bilateral CPC white matter.
- Post hoc diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis was conducted on a subset of participants.
Main Results:
- Significantly decreased T2 values were observed in the right CPC white matter of subjects with BD compared to controls.
- A hemispheric difference was noted in the BD group, with lower T2 on the right compared to the left CPC.
- DTI analysis revealed reduced fractional anisotropy and increased diffusivity on the left, and increased trace and decreased T2 on the right in subjects with BD.
Conclusions:
- The observed T2 differences in pediatric BD likely reflect alterations in cerebral blood flow, not changes in membrane fluidity.
- Findings suggest potential myelin damage on the left CPC white matter in early-onset BD, alongside blood flow changes.
- Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are needed to validate these findings and explore their clinical relevance.
Objective:
Transverse relaxation time (T2) imaging provides the opportunity to examine membrane fluidity, which can affect a number of cellular functions. The objective of the present work was to examine T2 abnormalities in children with unmodified DSM-IV-TR bipolar disorder (BD) in bilateral cingulate-paracingulate (CPC) white matter.
Method:
A total of 21 children and adolescents with BD and 16 healthy control subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 Tesla and were compared using a region-of-interest analysis. A post hoc diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis was also performed on selected subjects.
Results:
The T2 values were significantly decreased on the right-side of the subjects with BD compared with that of the control subjects. Hemispheric difference was also observed in the BD group, with decreased T2 on the right side compared with the left side. No significant difference was observed between left and right CPC T2 in control subjects. For participants who had both T2 and DTI measurements, significant DTI differences were observed: On the left side, fractional anisotropy was reduced and trace and radial diffusivity were increased, whereas on the right side, trace was increased and T2 was decreased in subjects with BD compared with control subjects.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that the observed T2 difference is a reflection of cerebral blood flow rather than an alteration of the fluidity of cell membranes. It is possible that myelin damage occurs on the left side in early-onset BD, in addition to changes in the blood flow. Prospective studies with larger numbers of subjects are warranted to further explore the relevance of the presented results.
