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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Huntington's Disease
Sarah Gregory1, Rachael I Scahill1
1Huntington's Disease Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
International Review of Neurobiology
|November 10, 2018
Summary
Huntington's disease (HD) gene carriers show altered brain activity and connectivity. Functional MRI reveals these changes, offering insights into neurodegeneration beyond structural damage.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Genetics
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
- Structural MRI studies show widespread brain atrophy in HD gene carriers.
- Functional brain changes in HD are less understood than structural changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and evaluate functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) literature on Huntington's disease.
- To explore how fMRI can characterize brain function alterations in HD.
- To assess the utility of fMRI in understanding HD's neurodegenerative effects.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing functional MRI studies in premanifest and manifest HD gene carriers.
- Analysis of studies examining brain activity during tasks and at rest.
- Evaluation of functional connectivity assessments in the HD population.
Main Results:
- Growing evidence indicates altered brain activation patterns in HD gene carriers.
- Functional MRI detects changes in functional connectivity between brain regions.
- These functional alterations are associated with the neurodegenerative process in HD.
Conclusions:
- Functional MRI is a valuable tool for characterizing brain dysfunction in Huntington's disease.
- fMRI complements structural imaging by revealing functional alterations.
- Further research using fMRI can enhance understanding and potentially guide HD therapies.