Along-Tract Statistical Mapping of Microstructural Abnormalities in Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study.
Leila Nabulsi1, Bramsh Q Chandio1, Nikhil Dhinagar1
1Imaging Genetics Center, Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, 90292 USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|March 22, 2023
Summary
This study mapped brain microstructural differences in bipolar disorder (BD) using advanced tractography. Bipolar disorder showed distinct white matter abnormalities in key brain pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Bipolar disorder (BD) research requires understanding brain circuitry for biomarkers.
- Previous studies lacked fine-scale spatial mapping of brain microstructural differences in BD.
Approach:
- Utilized BUndle ANalytics (BUAN), a novel tractography approach, on diffusion MRI data.
- Extracted, mapped, and visualized microstructural abnormalities on a 3D fiber tract model.
- Investigated along-tract white matter (WM) microstructural differences between BD patients (N=38) and healthy controls (N=49).
Key Points:
- BD was associated with lower mean Fractional Anisotropy (FA) in fronto-limbic and interhemispheric pathways.
- Higher mean FA was observed in posterior bundles in individuals with BD compared to controls.
- BUAN effectively captured distinct along-tract effects on WM microstructure.
Conclusions:
- This pilot study provides a fine-scale map of WM microstructural differences in BD.
- BUAN's approach aids in classifying diseases based on anatomical differences.
- Findings contribute to identifying potential biomarkers for bipolar disorder.
