Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Identification of Disease-related Spatial Covariance Patterns using Neuroimaging Data
14:27

Identification of Disease-related Spatial Covariance Patterns using Neuroimaging Data

Published on: June 26, 2013

A study of parkinsonism in multiple system atrophy: clinical and MRI correlation

M Wakai1, A Kume, A Takahashi

  • 1Department of Neurology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.

Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
|October 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Putaminal atrophy, not substantia nigra width, correlates with parkinsonism severity in multiple system atrophy (MSA). This MRI finding suggests localized degeneration rather than transsynaptic spread in MSA patients.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder.
  • Parkinsonism is a key clinical feature of MSA.
  • Understanding the underlying pathology is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between clinical parkinsonism severity and specific MRI findings in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA).
  • To quantitatively assess substantia nigra (SNc) width, putaminal hypointensity, and putaminal atrophy using MRI.
  • To evaluate the relationship between these MRI parameters and the clinical severity of parkinsonism in MSA.

Main Methods:

  • 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in 18 patients with clinically-diagnosed MSA and 16 age-matched controls.
  • Quantitative MRI parameters included SNc width, putaminal hypointensity on T2-weighted images, and putaminal atrophy.
  • Clinical severity of parkinsonism was evaluated in each MSA patient.

Main Results:

  • Patients with MSA showed narrowed SNc width and decreased putaminal signal intensity compared to controls.
  • No significant correlation was found between parkinsonism severity and SNc width or putaminal hypointensity.
  • Putaminal atrophy was observed and correlated significantly with the severity of parkinsonism in MSA patients.

Conclusions:

  • Putaminal atrophy is associated with the clinical manifestations of parkinsonism in MSA.
  • These findings do not support the hypothesis of transsynaptic degeneration in MSA.
  • MRI-based assessment of putaminal atrophy may serve as a relevant biomarker for parkinsonism severity in MSA.

More Related Videos

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla08:51

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla

Published on: February 19, 2021

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra05:14

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra

Published on: September 8, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
Parkinson's Disease: Overview01:15

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is to...
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment01:24

Parkinson's Disease: Treatment

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), involve the gradual and irreversible destruction of neurons in particular brain areas. These disorders exhibit standard features like proteinopathies, selective vulnerability of some neurons, and an interaction of intrinsic properties, genetics, and environmental influences in neural injury.
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of its...
Parkinson Disease l: Introduction01:24

Parkinson Disease l: Introduction

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement. It is characterized by motor symptoms such as resting tremors, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability. Patients may notice hand tremors at rest, stiffness during movement, or a shuffling gait. In addition to motor features, non-motor symptoms include sleep disturbances, mood and behavioral changes, constipation, and cognitive impairment, all of which...
Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:24

Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology

Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting movement, with additional non-motor features. Its pathophysiology involves complex interactions among genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and cellular dysfunction, including dopaminergic neuron loss, protein aggregation, and mitochondrial impairment.Selective NeurodegenerationA key feature is the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to reduced...
Alterations in Muscle Tone lll01:11

Alterations in Muscle Tone lll

Rigidity and myotonia are distinct abnormalities of muscle tone that affect resistance and relaxation during movement. Although both involve altered muscle contraction, they arise from different neurological and muscular mechanisms.CharacteristicsRigidity is characterized by uniform resistance to passive movement across the entire range, independent of speed, affecting flexors and extensors equally. It may appear as lead-pipe rigidity (smooth, constant resistance) or cogwheel rigidity...