Structural Connectivity and Cortical Thickness Alterations in Transient Global Amnesia.
J Hodel1, X Leclerc2, M Zuber3,4
1From the Departments of Radiology (J.H., S.G., I.G., M.Z.) jerome.hodel@gmail.com.
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|May 9, 2020
Summary
Transient global amnesia (TGA) involves memory loss. This study found reduced limbic network connectivity and cortical thickness in TGA patients compared to controls, persisting even after recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Brain Connectomics
Background:
- Transient global amnesia (TGA) is characterized by sudden anterograde and retrograde amnesia.
- Understanding the underlying structural brain changes in TGA is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in cortical thickness and structural brain connectome in TGA patients versus matched controls.
- To assess these differences at both acute and delayed post-recovery stages.
Main Methods:
- 18 TGA patients and 18 controls underwent 3T MRI with DTI and MPRAGE.
- Structural connectome analysis used probabilistic fiber-tracking and segmentation of 164 brain structures.
- Network-based statistics (NBS) compared connectivity and cortical thickness between groups.
Main Results:
- No global network metric alterations were found in TGA patients.
- NBS revealed significant structural connectome alterations in the limbic network of TGA patients, with decreased connectivity in 113 nodes and 114 connections.
- Reduced cortical thickness in orbitofrontal, cingulate, and inferior temporal cortices was associated with these connectivity changes, evident at both acute and delayed stages.
Conclusions:
- TGA patients exhibit structural abnormalities in the limbic network.
- These abnormalities include decreased structural connectivity and cortical thickness, persisting post-recovery.
