Related Experiment Videos
[Diffusion MRI study of cerebral white matter lesions in patients with Binswanger's disease]
H Hanyu1, H Shindo, D Kakizaki
1Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Medical College, Japan.
Abstract:
We performed diffusion MRI studies in 14 patients with extensive ischemic leukoencephalopathy, including 9 with dementia (diagnosed as Binswanger's disease), and 5 without dementia, and 8 age-matched controls. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) in anterior and posterior periventricular white matter were significantly higher in demented and non-demented patients than in the controls, and diffusion anisotropy disappeared in patients because of the high ratio of the diffusion coefficients perpendicular to the nerve fibers to those parallel to the nerve fibers. ADCs in the corpus callosum were significantly higher in demented patients that in non-demented patients and controls. Therefore, diffusion anisotropy disappeared only in demented (Binswanger's disease) patients. These results suggest that the cerebral white matter lesions in Binswanger's disease reflect a decrease of nerve fibers and diffuse myelin loss, and that the loss of nerve fibers in the corpus callosum may play a role in inducing cognitive decline. Diffusion MRI may be useful in the pathophysiological evaluation of cerebral white matter lesions.
Insights
Diffusion MRI reveals significant white matter changes in Binswanger's disease, a type of dementia. These changes, including nerve fiber loss, correlate with cognitive decline, suggesting Diffusion MRI
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Radiology
Context:
- Ischemic leukoencephalopathy is a condition affecting white matter in the brain.
- Binswanger's disease is a specific form of leukoencephalopathy associated with dementia.
- Diffusion MRI is a neuroimaging technique sensitive to microstructural changes in brain tissue.
Purpose:
- To investigate white matter alterations in patients with Binswanger's disease using diffusion MRI.
- To compare diffusion MRI metrics between patients with and without dementia and healthy controls.
- To explore the relationship between white matter changes and cognitive function.
Summary:
- Diffusion MRI studies in 14 patients with ischemic leukoencephalopathy (9 with dementia/Binswanger's disease, 5 without) and 8 controls revealed significantly higher apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) in periventricular white matter for both patient groups compared to controls.
- Diffusion anisotropy was lost in all patients, but more pronounced in demented patients, particularly in the corpus callosum where ADCs were highest.
- These findings suggest that white matter lesions in Binswanger's disease involve nerve fiber and myelin loss, with corpus callosum involvement potentially contributing to cognitive decline.
Impact:
- Diffusion MRI may serve as a valuable tool for the pathophysiological assessment of cerebral white matter lesions.
- Understanding white matter changes in Binswanger's disease can improve diagnostic accuracy and inform treatment strategies.
- The study highlights the potential role of nerve fiber loss in the corpus callosum in the development of cognitive impairment.