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Updated: May 29, 2026
Whole-brain Segmentation and Change-point Analysis of Anatomical Brain MRI—Application in Premanifest Huntington's Disease
Published on: June 9, 2018
Complex relationships between cerebral blood flow and brain atrophy in early Huntington's disease
J Jean Chen1, David H Salat, H Diana Rosas
1A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA. jjchen@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
Insights
Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced in early Huntington's disease (HD), particularly in the cortex. These CBF changes are linked to cognitive deficits, offering new insights into HD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations are implicated in neurodegenerative disorders like Huntington's disease (HD).
- Previous studies suggest CBF reductions in HD, but their extent and relationship with atrophy and symptoms remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate regional CBF changes in early-stage HD using non-invasive MRI techniques.
- To explore the relationship between CBF reductions, regional atrophy, and clinical symptoms in HD patients.
Main Methods:
- Pulsed arterial-spin labeling MRI was employed to measure regional CBF.
- High-resolution anatomical MRI was used for assessing regional atrophy.
- 17 early-stage HD subjects and 41 healthy controls were included.
Main Results:
- Profound and heterogeneous CBF reductions were observed in the HD cortex, affecting sensorimotor, temporal, and occipital regions.
- Subcortical CBF was also significantly reduced, comparable to cortical changes.
- The association between CBF reduction and atrophy was complex and region-dependent.
- CBF alterations correlated with performance on cognitive tests like the Stroop task.
Conclusions:
- Early-stage HD is characterized by widespread cortical and subcortical CBF reductions.
- CBF changes, rather than atrophy alone, may significantly contribute to cognitive impairments in HD.
- These findings have implications for understanding HD pathogenesis, progression, and therapeutic strategies.
Abstract:
Alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD). While a few reports have suggested reductions in CBF in HD, little is known about their extent and whether, or how, they might be related to atrophy and to clinical symptoms. We used pulsed arterial-spin labeling MRI in conjunction with high-resolution anatomical MRI to non-invasively measure regional CBF in 17 early stage HD subjects and 41 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. We found profound yet heterogeneous CBF reductions in the cortex, extending to the sensorimotor, paracentral, inferior temporal and lateral occipital regions, with sparing of the neighboring postcentral gyrus, insula and medial occipital areas. As expected, CBF in subcortical regions was also profoundly reduced, and to a similar degree. Unexpectedly, however, the association between CBF reductions and regional atrophy was complex, the two being directly associated in certain areas but not with others. In contrast, CBF was associated with performance on the Stroop, suggesting a potentially important role for alterations in CBF in cognitive deficits in HD. The work described here may have broad-reaching implications for our understanding of HD pathogenesis, progression and emerging therapies.
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