MRI-based cortical morphometry in traumatic brain injury: a pilot longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Brain Injury Research

Background:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause significant changes in brain structure, impacting quality of life.
• Previous research on TBI's effect on cortical morphometry (volume, surface area, thickness) has yielded inconsistent results, necessitating further investigation.
• Understanding neuroanatomical changes post-TBI is crucial for refining diagnostic and prognostic methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in cortical volume, surface area, and thickness following TBI using the "recon-all-clinical" pipeline.
• To analyze longitudinal morphometric changes in individuals with TBI compared to age/sex-matched controls.
• To enhance the understanding of post-TBI neuroanatomical alterations and improve neuroimaging techniques.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the "recon-all-clinical" pipeline on 4mm Axial MRI scans for morphometric analysis.
• Grouped cortical regions into lobes (frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, cingulate gyrus, insula) using area-weighted means.
• Conducted longitudinal analysis comparing TBI patients with age/sex-matched controls.

Main Results:

• Observed significant cortical thinning over time in the left occipital cortex and right cingulate gyrus in the TBI group.
• Found no significant changes in cortical surface area or volume across measured regions after multiple comparison corrections.
• Detected increased cortical thickness in the left insula in the initial TBI scan compared to controls, warranting cautious interpretation.

Conclusions:

• Initial increases in cortical thickness post-TBI may be due to imaging artifacts or early neuroplastic changes, not necessarily true morphometric differences.
• Longitudinal analysis revealed significant reductions in cortical thickness in the left occipital cortex and right cingulate gyrus, indicating vulnerability.
• The complexity of early TBI morphometric changes may affect measurement validity; further research with larger samples is recommended to assess the "recon-all-clinical" pipeline's utility.