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Updated: Mar 22, 2026
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Diffusion tensor imaging study in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Ya Fu1, Yuru Dong1, Chao Zhang1
11 Department of Neurology, 2 Department of MRI, General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Beijing 100039, China ; 3 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100005, China.
Background:
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle disorder associated with an intellectual deficit which is non-progressive. The aim of this study was to investigate brain microstructural changes in DMD and to explore the relationship between such changes and cognitive impairment.
Methods:
All participants (12 DMD patients, 14 age-matched healthy boys), intelligence quotients (IQs) [both full (FIQ) and verbal (VIQ)] were evaluated using the Wechsler intelligence scale for children China revised (WISC-CR) edition, and brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes were mapped using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with fractional anisotropy (FA). The differences between groups were analyzed using the t-test and the association of cognition with neuroimaging parameters was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Results:
Compared to the normal controls, the DMD group had lower FIQ (82.0±15.39 vs. 120.21±16.06) and significantly lower splenium of corpus callosum (CC) FA values (P<0.05). Splenium of CC FA was positively correlated with VIQ (r=0.588, P=0.044).
Conclusions:
There were microstructural changes of splenium of CC in DMD patients, which was associated with cognitive impairment.
