Cerebellar Gray Matter Alterations in Huntington Disease: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Previous neuropathological and neuroimaging studies suggest cerebellar involvement in Huntington disease (HD).
• A detailed in vivo evaluation of cerebellar morphology in HD is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive assessment of cerebellar gray matter (GM) morphology in individuals with Huntington disease (HD).
• To investigate the correlation between cerebellar GM alterations and clinical/cognitive measures in HD patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Spatially Unbiased Atlas Template (SUIT)-SPM-toolbox for detailed analysis of cerebellar GM.
• Performed Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) on 26 HD patients and 26 controls.
• Employed two-sample t-tests to compare GM density between groups and correlation analyses, corrected for relevant covariates.

Main Results:

• Observed increased cerebellar GM density in the anterior cerebellum in HD patients compared to controls.
• Found significant correlations between GM density in the postero-superior cerebellum and mood symptoms.
• Worse motor function and better cognitive function in HD patients correlated with GM changes in the posterior cerebellum (FDR corrected, p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates significant in vivo cerebellar GM changes in individuals with Huntington disease.
• Observed GM alterations are localized to regions involved in sensorimotor integration, motor planning, and emotional processing.
• These findings support a critical role for the cerebellum in the neuropathological progression of Huntington disease.