首发精神分裂症阳性症状为主型患者脑弥散张量成像研究

目的 探讨首发精神分裂症阳性症状为主型患者主要脑区白质纤维束有无异常.方法 对未系统使用过精神药物治疗的20例首发精神分裂症阳性症状为主型患者和20名正常对照进行磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI)扫描,测量胼胝体膝部、压部、双侧额叶白质、双侧扣带束前部和双侧海马头部分各向异性(FA)值.结果 ①患者组及对照组组内比较,左右侧FA值差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05).②患者组左侧海马头和胼胝体压部FA值[(0.17±0.03),(0.73±0.09)]显著低于对照组[(0.20±0.02),(0.79±0.05)],差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);③患者组左右侧扣带束前部FA值[(0.28±0.06),(0.29±0.05)]低于对照组[(0.43±0.07),(0.38±0.08)],差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01).结论 首发精神分裂症阳性症状为主型患者双侧扣带束前部、胼胝体压部及左侧海马头的白质纤维束完整性受损,提示其可能存在脑神经发育连接异常.     

创伤后应激障碍患者扣带束及胼胝体纤维束FA值的初步研究

目的探讨创伤后应激障碍患者(PTSD)是否存在连合纤维束胼胝体及联络纤维扣带纤维束的超微结构异常。方法1.5T的MR成像仪下对12例PTSD患者及12名正常对照进行磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI),测量受试者胼胝体膝部、体部、压部、及双侧扣带水平部、后部等感兴趣区内主要白质纤维束的各向异性分数(FA)值,并进行组间比较。结果患者组双侧(左侧、右侧)扣带束水平部、胼胝体压部的FA值较对照组明显降低,差异均有统计学意义(t分别为3.26、-4.13、2.84,P均小于0.05)。结论PTSD患者的边缘系统纤维束可能存在结构异常。     

首发精神分裂症胼胝体的磁共振弥散张量研究

目的 采用磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI)了解首发精神分裂症患者脑部胼胝体的改变及其与临床症状的关系.方法 将首发精神分裂症住院患者60例和正常对照组26例按规定序列作头颅弥散张量成像扫描,测定胼胝体(膝部、体部、压部)FA值,并在入院当天进行PANSS量表评定.结果 病例组胼胝体体部FA值(0.33±0.10)较对照组(0.40±0.11)小,两组比较有差异(F=4.22,P=0.046);病例组男性胼胝体膝部FA值(0.51±0.08)较对照组(0.63±0.10)小,两组比较有差异(F=6.79,P=0.02);病例组女性胼胝体体部FA值(0.33±0.11)较对照组(0.46±0.08)小,两组比较有差异(F=7.08,P=0.014);阳性因子分、阴性因子分与胼胝体体部FA值无相关,而阴性因子分与胼胝体压部FA值(r=-0.38,P=0.04)则显著负相关.结论 首发精神分裂症患者胼胝体FA值减小,提示白质神经纤维的连续性中断,可能是精神分裂症病理基础之一.     

首发偏执型精神分裂症患者的脑白质磁共振弥散张量成像研究

目的探讨首发未用药的偏执型精神分裂症患者的多个脑区白质磁共振弥散张量成像(diffusion tensor imaging,DTI)的特点,以期为精神分裂症"脑内连接异常的假说"提供依据。方法选取20例首发偏执型精神分裂症患者,应用DTI扫描,检测脑内21个感兴趣区(regions of interest,ROI)白质纤维的微细结构,并与20名年龄、性别和文化程度相匹配的正常对照比较。结果患者组额叶、内囊前肢、外囊的左右两侧FA值和左侧颞叶、左侧内囊膝部、胼胝体膝部FA值小于对照组(P0.05)。患者组额叶左右侧FA值差异无统计学意义(P0.05),而对照组左侧大于右侧(P0.05);患者组内囊膝部和后肢FA值右侧大于左侧(P0.05),而对照组左侧大于右侧(P0.05)。患者组双侧外囊FA值均小于对照组(P0.05)。结论未用药首发偏执型精神分裂症患者脑内多个白质区部分各向异性降低,尤其是额叶皮层下环路更加显著,数个白质区部分各向异性的正常"左右"的偏侧性缺失或倒置,支持精神分裂症脑内连接异常的神经病理假说。     

Duchenne型肌营养不良症扩散张量成像研究

目的通过扩散张量成像(DTI)观察Duchenne型肌营养不良症患儿脑结构和功能改变。方法共14例Duchenne型肌营养不良症患儿均行DTI检查,以双侧顶叶白质、额叶白质、胼胝体膝部和压部、尾状核头、扣带前回、扣带中回、扣带后回、豆状核、内囊前肢和后肢、丘脑、枕叶白质、颞叶白质、海马、小脑上脚和小脑中脚等脑区为兴趣区,测定各兴趣区部分各向异性(FA)值。结果与正常对照者相比,Duchenne型肌营养不良症患儿仅胼胝体压部FA值降低(t=-2.187,P=0.045),其余脑区FA值组间差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 Duchenne型肌营养不良症患儿胼胝体压部存在微细结构改变,然而,其与Duchenne型肌营养不良症患儿认知功能改变之间的相关性尚待进一步研究。     

皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆患者大脑联络纤维弥散张量成像研究

目的应用磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI)技术,研究皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆(SIVD)患者脑白质联络纤维变化的特点,以探讨弥散张量成像在诊断SIVD患者中的诊断价值。方法对60例SIVD患者和45例年龄匹配的非痴呆对照者,应用简易智能状态检查量表(MMSE)、蒙特利尔认知测评量表(Mo CA)及临床痴呆量表(CDR)进行认知功能评估;用全脑磁共振DTI技术,测量上纵束、下额枕束(额部、额颞部和颞部)、胼胝体膝部和压部和扣带束多个感兴趣区的各向异性分数(FA)值和表观弥散系数(ADC)值。结果与对照组比较,SIVD组双侧下额枕束、双侧扣带束、左侧上额枕束和胼胝体膝部FA值明显下降,ADC值明显升高,差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05),右侧上额枕束和胼胝体压部的FA值和ADC值差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论 SIVD患者多个感兴趣区的DTI改变证明联络纤维损伤明显;全脑DTI研究是SIVD患者敏感可靠的技术方法,有助于理解SIVD患者的认知功能与联络纤维损害的关系。     

磁共振扩散张量成像在缺血缺氧脑病患儿中的临床应用

目的探讨磁共振扩散张量成像(DTI)在缺血缺氧脑病患儿中的应用价值。方法前瞻性纳入2016-12—2018-12于河南中医药大学第一附属医院行MRI头颅平扫及DTI检查的年龄2岁患儿40例,所有患儿在围生期均有缺氧缺血脑病史,根据最终随访结果分为脑瘫组及非脑瘫组各20例。测量双侧大脑脚、内囊前肢、内囊膝部、内囊后肢、半卵圆中心、皮质脊髓束、下纵束、丘脑后辐射、额叶白质、顶叶白质、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体体部及胼胝体压部的FA值。结果 2组间双侧大脑脚、内囊后肢、半卵圆中心、皮质脊髓束、下纵束、丘脑后辐射、顶叶白质、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体体部、胼胝体压部FA值差异均有统计学意义(P0.05),而双侧内囊前肢、内囊膝部、额叶白质FA值差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 DTI可以定量评估缺血缺氧脑病患儿的损伤程度,有助于早期评估病情及预测预后。     

扣带束和钩束的微观结构变化与白质疏松相关性抑郁

目的通过弥散张量成像(diffusion tensor imaging,DTI)技术研究白质疏松(leukoaraiosis,LA)患者扣带束和钩束的白质微观结构改变,并探讨其与抑郁障碍的关系。方法前瞻性纳入60例Fazekas评分为2~3级的LA患者及30例对照组。LA组分为伴有抑郁(n=33)和不伴有抑郁(n=27)2个亚组。所有被研究对象均进行抑郁评估、3.0T头部MRI常规检查及DTI检查。使用PANDA软件处理DTI数据,提取双侧扣带束和钩束的部分各向异性(fractional anisotropy,FA)数值。结果 LA组双侧钩束及扣带束的FA值均显著低于对照组(P0.05);LA伴抑郁亚组双侧扣带束和右侧钩束的FA值显著低于不伴抑郁亚组(P0.05);LA不伴抑郁亚组和对照组双侧扣带束、钩束之间的FA值无显著性差异(P0.05)。双变量相关分析发现抑郁程度与右侧钩束(r=-0.27,P=0.037)、扣带束(左侧r=-0.329,P=0.01;右侧r=-0.259,P=0.046)FA值呈负相关,与左侧钩束FA变化无明显相关性。结论钩束和扣带束白质微观结构变化与LA相关性抑郁存在关联性,但相关程度较弱(r0.4),提示LA相关性抑郁的发生存在多元化的病理生理基础。     

皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆患者脑白质损害的磁共振弥散张量成像研究

目的:应用磁共振弥散张量成像技术(DTI)观察皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆(SIVD)患者脑白质损害程度,探讨DTI对SIVD白质损害的评估及与阿尔茨海默病(AD)鉴别诊断价值。方法:研究对象分为3组,分别是健康老年人(NC)、皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆(SIVD)患者、AD患者,每组各20例。行常规MR I和DTI扫描后,测定相同感兴趣区(RO I)的各向异性分数(FA)值和表观扩散系数(ADC)值进行比较。结果:SIVD组下额枕束、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体压部、上纵束等部位FA值下降,ADC值升高,与NC、AD组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与NC组比较,AD组前额叶、颞叶、海马、下额枕束、胼胝体膝部和扣带束等部位FA值降低,颞叶、海马等部位ADC值升高,两组差异具有显著性(P<0.05);结论:DTI可以用来评估痴呆患者白质损害的程度,SIVD患者以下额枕束、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体压部、上纵束等部位受累为主,可作为与AD鉴别的客观指标。     

首发偏执型精神分裂症患者胼胝体微结构异常研究

目的 探讨未用药首发偏执型精神分裂症患者胼胝体纤维束的细微结构改变及其可能的神经生化代谢原因,以期为精神分裂症"神经发育假说"提供依据.方法 选取20例首发偏执型精神分裂症患者,应用DTI和MRS技术对脑内胼胝体膝部、压部和体部进行成像检测,并与20名年龄、性别和文化程度与患者相匹配的健康对照者比较.结果 (1)患者组胼胝体膝部FA值小于健康对照组(0.731±0.102:0.815±0.043.t=3.358,P=0.002),胼胝体膝部和体部的ADC值高于健康对照组(8.043±0.462:7.564±0.470,t=2.645,P=0.012;8.543±0.462:7.743±0.470,t=3.898,P=0.000).(2)患者组胼胝体膝部NAA值和体部NNA值、Cho值均低于健康对照组(1.449±0.406:1.748±0.392,t=2.365.P=0.023;0.911±0.130:1.164±0.153,t=5.618.P=0.000;1.006±0.869:1.275±0.367,t=3.190,P=0.003).结论 首发偏执型精神分裂症患者胼胝体膝部纤维束在疾病早期阶段即存在各向异性降低,其可能原因是神经发育不良.     

Tract-specific analysis of white matter integrity disruption in schizophrenia

Several studies have suggested that white matter integrity is disrupted in some brain regions in patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to assess the white matter integrity of the cingulum, uncinate fasciculus, fornix, and corpus callosum using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Participants comprised 39 patients with schizophrenia (19 males and 20 females) and 40 age-matched normal controls (20 males and 20 females). We quantitatively assessed the fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the anterior cingulum, body of the cingulum, uncinate fasciculus, fornix, and corpus callosum on a tract-specific basis using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). Group differences in FA and ADC between the patients and normal controls were sought. Additional exploratory analyses of the relationship between the FA or ADC and four clinical parameters (i.e., illness duration, positive symptom scores, negative symptom scores, and medication dosage) were performed. Results were analyzed in gender-combined and gender-separated group comparisons. FA was significantly lower on both sides of the anterior cingulum, uncinate fasciculus, and fornix in the schizophrenia patients irrespective of gender group separation. In the gender-combined analyses, significantly higher ADC values were demonstrated in the schizophrenia patients in both sides of the anterior cingulum, body of the cingulum and uncinate fasciculus, the left fornix, and the corpus callosum, compared with those of the normal controls. In the gender-separated analyses, the male patients showed higher ADC in the left anterior cingulum, the bilateral cingulum bodies, and the bilateral uncinate fasciculi. The female patients showed higher ADC in the right anterior cingulum, the left fornix, and the bilateral uncinate fasciculus. In correlation analyses, a significant negative correlation was found between illness duration and ADC in the right anterior cingulum in the gender-combined analyses. The gender-separated analyses found that the male patients had a significant negative correlation between negative symptom scores and FA in the right fornix, a positive correlation between illness duration and FA in the right anterior cingulum, and a negative correlation between illness duration and FA in the left uncinate fasciculus. Our DTI study showed that the integrity of white matter is disrupted in patients with schizophrenia. The results of our sub-analyses suggest that changes in FA and ADC may be related to negative symptom scores or illness duration.     

Abnormal anterior cingulum in patients with schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can non-invasively examine the molecular diffusion of water in vivo and directly reflects the anatomical integrity of neural fibers in white matter. Fractional anisotropy (FA) can be calculated from DTI data, and utilized to evaluate white matter integrity. DTI was performed on 30 patients with schizophrenia and 19 healthy controls, and their FA values were subsequently measured in multiple brain regions. Statistical analyses revealed that FA values were decreased in the anterior cingulum of schizophrenia subjects. There were no significant differences between patients and controls in any other regions. This study supports the hypothesis that schizophrenia is associated with abnormal white matter integrity of the anterior cingulum.     

A diffusion tensor MRI study of white matter integrity in subjects at high genetic risk of schizophrenia

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has previously shown compromised white matter integrity in frontotemporal white matter fibers in patients with schizophrenia, as indicated by reduced fractional anisotropy (FA). In the present study we investigated whether reduced white matter FA is also present in relatives of individuals with schizophrenia who are at high risk (HR) for genetic reasons. Twenty-two HR subjects, 31 patients with schizophrenia and 51 control subjects underwent DTI. We compared FA between the three groups in the cingulum cingulate gyri, the uncinate and the arcuate fasciculi and the anterior limb of the internal capsules (ALIC). A voxel-based analysis showed lower FA in patients with schizophrenia compared to controls in left and right uncinate (p<0.03), the left arcuate (p<0.03) and left and right ALIC (p<0.01). Using an automatic region-of-interest analysis, less sensitive to potential misregistration errors, produced essentially the same results, as well as reduced FA of the ALIC in the HR group compared to controls (p<0.05). This study replicates previous findings showing lower FA in frontotemporal white matter fibers of schizophrenia patients. We also found reduced FA in the ALIC of both patients and subjects at high risk of schizophrenia when compared to controls. This may be a possible indicator of the higher vulnerability of relatives to develop the disorder.     

Progressive changes of white matter integrity in schizophrenia revealed by diffusion tensor imaging

Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have suggested reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the white matter (WM) of the brain in patients with schizophrenia. We tried to examine whether such reduction in FA exists and whether such changes in FA progress in an age-dependent manner in a Japanese sample of chronic schizophrenia. FA values were compared between 42 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 42 controls matched for age and gender, by using DTI with voxel-by-voxel and region-of-interest analyses. Correlations of FA values with age and duration of illness were examined. Patients with schizophrenia showed lower FA values, compared to controls, in the widespread WM areas including the uncinate fasciculi and cingulum bundles. A significant group-by-age interaction was found for FA in the WM, i.e., age-related reduction of FA was more pronounced in schizophrenics than in controls. A significant negative correlation between FA and duration of illness was also found in the WM. Our data confirmed decreased FA in schizophrenics, compared to controls in the widespread WM areas. Such decreased FA values in schizophrenia might be attributable, at least in part, to progressive changes after the onset of the illness.     

Anterior cingulum abnormalities in male patients with schizophrenia determined through diffusion tensor imaging

OBJECTIVE: This study used diffusion tensor imaging to examine fractional anisotropy in the anterior cingulum and posterior cingulum bundles in patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: Twenty-one male patients and 20 healthy comparison men were studied. RESULTS: Reduced fractional anisotropy was seen for both sides of the anterior cingulum in the schizophrenia patients, who also exhibited less left-greater-than-right asymmetry in the anterior cingulum than was seen in the comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest structural disconnections in the anterior cingulum in patients with schizophrenia.     

Age-related deficits in fronto-temporal connections in schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study

OBJECTIVE: Impairment of white matter connecting frontal and temporal cortices has been reported in schizophrenia. Yet, not much is known about the effects of age on fibers connecting these brain regions. Using diffusion tensor imaging tractography, we investigated the relationship between age and fiber integrity in patients with schizophrenia vs. healthy adults. METHODS: DTI tractography was used to create 3D reconstructions of the cingulum, uncinate and inferior occipito-frontal fasciculi in 27 patients with schizophrenia and 34 healthy volunteers (23-56 years of age, group-matched on age). Fractional anisotropy (FA), describing fiber integrity, was then calculated along the entire length of these tracts, and correlated with subjects' age. RESULTS: Patients revealed a significant decline in FA with age in both the cingulum and uncinate, but not in the inferior occipito-frontal fasciculi. No statistically significant correlations were found in these fiber bundles in controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest an age-associated reduction of frontal-temporal connectivity in schizophrenia, but not in healthy controls.     

Abnormal asymmetry of white matter integrity in schizophrenia revealed by voxelwise diffusion tensor imaging

A number of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have revealed morphological cortical asymmetry in the normal human brain, and reduction or inversion of such hemispheric asymmetry has been reported in schizophrenia. On the other hand, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have reported inconsistent findings concerning abnormal asymmetry of white matter integrity in schizophrenia. Our aim was to confirm whether there is reduced or inverted asymmetry of white matter integrity in the whole brain in schizophrenia. For this study, 26 right-handed schizophrenia patients, and 32 matched healthy control subjects were investigated. Voxelwise analysis of DTI data was performed using the tract-based spatial statistics. The fractional anisotropy (FA) images were normalized and projected onto the symmetrical white matter skeleton, and the laterality index (LI) of FA, determined by 2 × (left - right)/(left + right), was calculated. The results reveal that schizophrenia patients and healthy controls showed similar patterns of overall FA asymmetries. In the group comparison, patients showed significant reduction of LI in the external capsule (EC), and posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC). The EC cluster revealed increased rightward asymmetry, and the PLIC cluster showed reduced leftward asymmetry. Rightward-shift of FA in the EC cluster correlated with negative symptom severity. Considering that the EC cluster includes the uncinate and inferior occipitofrontal fasciculi, which have connections to the orbitofrontal cortex, abnormal asymmetry of white matter integrity in schizophrenia may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, through the altered connectivity to the orbitofrontal cortex.     

White Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia and Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Prior diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies examining schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) and schizophrenia, separately have shown that compared with healthy controls (HCs), patients show frontotemporal white matter (WM) abnormalities. This is the first DTI study to directly compare WM tract coherence with tractography and fractional anisotropy (FA) across the schizophrenia spectrum in a large sample of demographically matched HCs (n = 55), medication-naive SPD patients (n = 49), and unmedicated/never-medicated schizophrenia patients (n = 22) to determine whether (a) frontal-striatal-temporal WM tract abnormalities in schizophrenia are similar to, or distinct from those observed in SPD; and (b) WM tract abnormalities are associated with clinical symptom severity indicating a common underlying pathology across the spectrum. Compared with both the HC and SPD groups, schizophrenia patients showed WM abnormalities, as indexed by lower FA in the temporal lobe (inferior longitudinal fasciculus) and cingulum regions. SPD patients showed lower FA in the corpus callosum genu compared with the HC group, but this regional abnormality was more widespread in schizophrenia patients. Across the schizophrenia spectrum, greater WM disruptions were associated with greater symptom severity. Overall, frontal-striatal-temporal WM dysconnectivity is attenuated in SPD compared with schizophrenia patients and may mitigate the emergence of psychosis.Key words: DTI, MRI, schizotypal personality disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, white matter, genu, cingulum, inferior longitudinal fasciculus     

Anterior and posterior cingulum abnormalities and their association with psychopathology in schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Evidence suggests that a disruption in limbic system network integrity and, in particular, the cingulate gyrus may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The cingulum bundles (CBs; posterior and anterior) are the most prominent white matter tracts in the limbic system, furnishing both input and output to the cingulate gyrus . In previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, abnormal integrity has been demonstrated in the anterior CB portion, but not the posterior, in schizophrenia. As well, the relationships between the abnormalities of CB integrity and the psychopathology of schizophrenia remain to be elucidated. Using DTI acquired on a 3 T MRI machine, we examined fractional anisotropy (FA) in the anterior and posterior CBs of 42 patients with schizophrenia and 24 group-matched controls. Moreover, we investigated the relationships between CB abnormalities and the psychopathology of schizophrenia. Bilaterally reduced FA was demonstrated in both anterior and posterior CBs in schizophrenia patients. However, the pattern of FA reduction was different between anterior and posterior CBs: the reduction in FA was left-accentuated in anterior CBs, while no such lateralized abnormality was found in posterior ones. Finally, FA in posterior CBs correlated with positive symptom scores in patients with schizophrenia. These findings suggest that CB abnormalities in schizophrenia are not restricted to the anterior CB, but include the posterior as well. Pathology in the posterior CB would be one of the possible neural underpinnings of positive symptoms in schizophrenia.     

Diffusion tensor imaging and tract-based spatial statistics in obsessive-compulsive disorder

There is increasing evidence of white matter abnormalities in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The results of previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, however, are inconsistent. Reasons for this inconsistency may include methodological issues such as misregistration, the differences in smoothing voxel-based morphometry style analysis or both. To date there are no DTI studies with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) which overcome these issues. In addition, previous studies had few drug-free patients, thus potentially reducing their power and obscuring their findings. Therefore, the aim of present study was to investigate white matter abnormalities using DTI and TBSS analysis in a large sample of drug-free patients with OCD. Thirty drug-free patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls underwent DTI. Fourteen of 30 patients were drug naïve. Voxel-wise group comparison of white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) was performed using TBSS. Compared to healthy volunteers, OCD patients had statistically less FA in the anterior body of corpus callosum (CC) (p < .05, corrected). They also had a trend for a lower FA in the large portion of CC, the right cingulum, and the left anterior limb of internal capsule (ALIC). There were no areas of the brain with significantly higher FA. This is the first study that has investigated white matter abnormalities in non-medicated patients with OCD using DTI and TBSS analyses. Microstructural white matter abnormalities in the CC, the cingulum, and the ALIC might be involved in the pathophysiology of OCD.