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Whole-brain Segmentation and Change-point Analysis of Anatomical Brain MRI—Application in Premanifest Huntington's Disease
Published on: June 9, 2018
Structural and functional changes of the visual cortex in early Huntington's disease
Emma M Coppen1, Jeroen van der Grond2, Anne Hafkemeijer2,3,4
1Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Human Brain Mapping
|August 26, 2018
Summary
Huntington's disease (HD) shows atrophy in associative visual cortices but preserves the primary visual cortex structurally and functionally. These changes correlate with visual deficits in manifest HD gene carriers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Radiology
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
- Early stages involve visual cognitive deficits and posterior cerebral cortex atrophy.
- Understanding visual cortex alterations in HD is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess structural and functional brain changes in the visual cortex of HD gene carriers.
- To investigate the relationship between visual cognitive function and neuroimaging findings.
- To differentiate between premanifest and manifest HD stages.
Main Methods:
- Acquired structural and functional MRI data from controls, premanifest HD, and manifest HD groups.
- Utilized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and cortical thickness analysis for structural assessment.
- Measured brain function via neuronal connectivity during visual stimulation and resting-state.
Main Results:
- Manifest HD showed atrophy and reduced resting-state function in associative visual cortices.
- Primary visual cortex structure and function post-stimulation were preserved.
- Associative visual cortex thinning correlated with poorer visual perceptual function.
- Premanifest HD gene carriers showed no significant differences from controls.
Conclusions:
- Primary visual cortex remains structurally and functionally intact in early HD.
- Atrophy in associative visual cortices is an early feature of HD.
- Visual cortex changes are linked to clinical visual deficits in HD.
- Neuroimaging reveals distinct patterns in premanifest vs. manifest HD.
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