White matter characteristics of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: a diffusion tensor tract-based spatial...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• White Matter Diseases

Background:

• Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is a neurological disorder characterized by gait disturbance, dementia, and urinary incontinence.
• White matter integrity is crucial for cognitive and motor functions, and its alterations are implicated in various neurological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate white matter microstructural changes in patients with INPH using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
• To correlate DTI-derived metrics with clinical symptoms in INPH patients.

Main Methods:

• DTI brain images were acquired from 24 INPH patients and 21 age-matched controls using a 3T scanner.
• Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were generated and analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and region-of-interest (ROI) analyses.
• ROIs included the corpus callosum, posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), and cerebral peduncle.

Main Results:

• INPH patients exhibited significantly lower FA values in the corpus callosum compared to controls.
• A trend towards higher FA values was observed in the PLIC of INPH patients, though not statistically significant.
• Lower FA in the corpus callosum was associated with more severe gait disturbance in INPH patients.

Conclusions:

• Reduced FA in the corpus callosum is a key DTI finding in INPH, potentially contributing to the pathophysiology of gait disturbance.
• DTI-based white matter analysis offers insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of INPH.