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Updated: May 13, 2026
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Quantitative tractography and tract shape modeling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Mark E Bastin1, Lewis D Pettit, Thomas H Bak
1Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is linked to subtle white matter changes in the brain, particularly affecting the corticospinal tract (CST). These structural alterations may serve as biomarkers for disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons.
- Understanding brain-wide white matter alterations in ALS is crucial for diagnosis and monitoring.
- Current imaging techniques may not fully capture the subtle structural changes in ALS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain-wide white matter structural changes in ALS using probabilistic neighborhood tractography (PNT).
- To quantitatively assess white matter tract integrity and shape using PNT.
- To explore the relationship between white matter changes and disease progression in ALS.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion MRI data from 30 ALS patients and 30 controls were analyzed.
- Probabilistic neighborhood tractography (PNT) segmented 12 major white matter tracts.
- Tract integrity (mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy) and shape (topological differences) were compared between groups.
Main Results:
- ALS patients showed increased mean diffusivity and decreased fractional anisotropy in several tracts, notably the corticospinal tract (CST) and cingulum.
- Significant topological differences in tract shape were observed in the CST and uncinate fasciculus of ALS patients.
- Lower fractional anisotropy in the CST was negatively correlated with the rate of ALS disease progression.
Conclusions:
- ALS is associated with widespread subtle white matter integrity and shape changes, particularly in the CST.
- Quantitative tractography measures, including tract integrity and shape, show promise as biomarkers for ALS disease evolution.
- These findings highlight the potential of PNT for characterizing neurodegenerative changes in ALS.
