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Updated: Apr 1, 2026
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
White matter integrity associated with clinical symptoms in tinnitus patients: A tract-based spatial statistics study
Chang-Woo Ryu1, Moon Suh Park2, Jae Yong Byun2
1Department of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 892 Dongnam-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, 134-727, South Korea. md.cwryu@gmail.com.
Objective:
To assess the relationship between white matter (WM) integrity and clinical variables in tinnitus patients using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
Methods:
Sixty-seven tinnitus patients and 39 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The tinnitus duration, laterality, pitch and characteristics, and two psychological self-rating tests were used as independent variables. Differences between patients and controls in diffusion indices were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), and multiple regression between DTI values in significant clusters and clinical variables was investigated. TBSS correlation analysis between the clinical variables and DTI indices was performed in tinnitus patients.
Results:
The tinnitus group had higher mean diffusivity (MD) and axial diffusivity in WM under the auditory cortex and limbic system compared with control group. Depression symptom score (BDI) was the only significant variable affecting MD and axial diffusivity value in these clusters. TBSS correlation analysis with BDI in tinnitus patients showed BDI was associated with diffusion indices in widespread regions of WM.
Conclusions:
WM integrity in tinnitus was associated with depression symptoms in both inter- and intragroup analyses. Our results support the hypothesized implication of altered WM integrity in the physiopathology of emotional symptoms of tinnitus.
Key Points:
• WM integrity of left auditory-limbic circuit in tinnitus is different in controls. • Depression symptoms are a significant clinical variable affecting DTI values. • DTI value is correlated with depression symptoms in tinnitus patients.
