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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
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One-year changes in brain microstructure differentiate preclinical Huntington's disease stages
Chris Patrick Pflanz1, Marina Charquero-Ballester2, D S Adnan Majid3
1Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.
Neuroimage. Clinical
|December 23, 2019
Summary
Diffusion imaging detects brain changes in preclinical Huntington's disease. Early decreases in mean diffusivity may signal neuroinflammation, preceding later increases closer to symptom onset.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder.
- Early detection of preclinical changes is crucial for intervention.
- Brain imaging markers may offer insights into disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if brain imaging markers of tissue microstructure can detect disease progression in preclinical Huntington's disease.
- To investigate longitudinal microstructural changes using diffusion imaging.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal diffusion imaging (mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy) over 1 year.
- Studied 35 presymptomatic HD participants in 3 preclinical subgroups and 19 healthy controls.
- Compared changes in brain microstructure across groups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in mean diffusivity changes were observed in the basal ganglia and corpus callosum.
- An initial decrease in mean diffusivity in the furthest preclinical group (FAR) was followed by an increase in nearer groups (MID, NEAR).
- UHDRS confidence in motor score was the only clinical measure to show 1-year changes between preclinical stages.
Conclusions:
- Diffusion imaging shows sensitivity to longitudinal microstructural changes in preclinical HD.
- These changes may reflect distinct pathophysiological mechanisms (e.g., neuroinflammation).
- Diffusion imaging is a promising marker for monitoring treatment response and identifying therapeutic windows in preclinical HD.
