Thalamic fractional anisotropy predicts accrual of cerebral white matter damage in older subjects with small-vessel disease

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and lacunes are magnetic resonance imaging hallmarks of cerebral small-vessel disease, which increase the risk of stroke, cognitive, and mobility impairment. Although most studies of cerebral small-vessel disease have focused on white matter abnormalities, the gray matter (GM) is also affected, as evidenced by frequently observed lacunes in subcortical GM. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is sensitive to subtle neurodegenerative changes in deep GM structures. We explored the relationship between baseline DTI characteristics of the thalamus, caudate, and putamen, and the volume and subsequent accrual of WMHs over a 4-year period in 56 community-dwelling older (⩾75 years) individuals. Baseline thalamic fractional anisotropy (FA) was an independent predictor of WMH accrual. WMH accrual also correlated with baseline lacune count and baseline WMH volume, the latter showing the strongest predictive power, explaining 27.3% of the variance. The addition of baseline thalamic FA in multivariate modeling increased this value by 70%, which explains 46.5% of the variance in WMH accrual rate. Thalamic FA might serve as a novel predictor of cerebral small-vessel disease progression in clinical settings and trials. Furthermore, our findings point to the possibility of a causal relationship between thalamic damage and the accrual of WMHs.     

轻度认知功能障碍与脑白质弥散张量成像的相关性研究

目的通过磁共振弥散张量成像研究不同区域脑白质损害与轻度认知功能(MCI)的关系。方法纳入2015年7月至2016年2月我院的住院患者56例为研究对象,其中MCI组34例,认知功能正常组22例。所有研究对象进行一般情况检查,完成神经心理学量表检测。通过头颅磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI)检查对不同脑区白质纤维进行部分各向异性(FA)值测量。结果 MCI组患者与认知功能正常组相比,右侧额叶FA值(0.335±0.068)、左侧颞叶白质FA值(0.391±0.032)及胼胝体膝部FA值(0.658±0.053)降低,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。将上述FA值和MMSE、Mo CA量表中各认知域进行典型相关分析,结果显示右侧额叶白质FA值与注意与计算力呈正相关,左侧颞叶白质和胼胝体膝部FA值与记忆力呈正相关(P0.05)。结论 MCI患者注意与计算力的障碍可能与右侧额叶白质损害有关,而左侧颞叶白质及胼胝体膝部白质的损害可能导致早期的记忆障碍。DTI可能成为超早期识别与诊断MCI的新方法。     

半自动MRI定量方法测定脑白质高信号体积与病变定性评分的相关性

背景：在磁共振T2加权像和液体衰减反转恢复像中脑白质病变表现为白质高信号,目前对脑白质高信号体积、部位与认知功能损害的关系仍存在争议。 目的：以头颅磁共振对皮质下缺血性脑血管病患者白质高信号进行定量和定性测定,分析高信号体积和部位与认知损害的关系。 设计、时间及地点：于2007-12/2008-09在河北省人民医院神经内科完成。 对象：依据影像学诊断标准确定皮质下缺血性脑血管病53例,记录症状和体征,并进行神经心理学评估。 方法：采用美国GE公司生产的半自动1.5T MRI机对患者行头MRI扫描,定量测定脑白质高信号体积,并结合脑白质病变定性评分。 主要观察指标：分析皮质下缺血性脑血管病患者脑白质高信号体积与评分的相关性,以及白质病变与认知损害的关系。 结果：脑白质高信号体积和评分高度相关（rs=0.989, P < 0.001）,两者呈曲线关系。分层多元线性回归分析显示,白质高信号体积、白质高信号总评分的变化可以分别解释简明精神状态检查评分改变的10.5%和6.8%,前者较后者能更敏感地预测简明精神状态检查评分变化。不同区域脑白质病变中,仅基底核区白质高信号评分与简明精神状态检查评分有关（t=-2.126, P=0.039）,其他各区域白质高信号评分均非简明精神状态检查评分独立预测指标。 结论：脑白质高信号体积与评分均可应用于脑白质病变的测定,前者测定较脑白质高信号评分更敏感;皮质下缺血性脑血管病患者认知功能损害随着脑白质病变的增多,尤其是基底核区白质病变的增多而加重。     

Mapping white matter integrity in elderly people with HIV

People with HIV are living longer as combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) becomes more widely available. However, even when plasma viral load is reduced to untraceable levels, chronic HIV infection is associated with neurological deficits and brain atrophy beyond that of normal aging. HIV is often marked by cortical and subcortical atrophy, but the integrity of the brain's white matter (WM) pathways also progressively declines. Few studies focus on older cohorts where normal aging may be compounded with HIV infection to influence deficit patterns. In this relatively large diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study, we investigated abnormalities in WM fiber integrity in 56 HIV+ adults with access to cART (mean age: 63.9 ± 3.7 years), compared to 31 matched healthy controls (65.4 ± 2.2 years). Statistical 3D maps revealed the independent effects of HIV diagnosis and age on fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusivity, but we did not find any evidence for an age by diagnosis interaction in our current sample. Compared to healthy controls, HIV patients showed pervasive FA decreases and diffusivity increases throughout WM. We also assessed neuropsychological (NP) summary z‐score associations. In both patients and controls, fiber integrity measures were associated with NP summary scores. The greatest differences were detected in the corpus callosum and in the projection fibers of the corona radiata. These deficits are consistent with published NP deficits and cortical atrophy patterns in elderly people with HIV. Hum Brain Mapp 35:975–992, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease is associated with a distributed pattern of brain white matter damage

This study assesses the patterns of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) damage in patients with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI) compared with healthy controls and cognitively unimpaired PD patients (PD‐Cu). Three‐dimensional T1‐weighted and diffusion tensor (DT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained from 43 PD patients and 33 healthy controls. Cognition was assessed using a neuropsychological battery. Tract‐based spatial statistics was applied to compare DT MRI indices between groups on a voxel‐by‐voxel basis. Voxel‐based morphometry was performed to assess GM atrophy. Thirty PD patients were classified as MCI. Compared with healthy controls, PD‐Cu and PD‐MCI patients did not have GM atrophy. No region of WM damage was found in PD‐Cu patients when compared with healthy controls. Relative to healthy controls and PD‐Cu patients, PD‐MCI patients showed a distributed pattern of WM abnormalities in the anterior and superior corona radiata, genu, and body of the corpus callosum, and anterior inferior fronto‐occipital, uncinate, and superior longitudinal fasciculi, bilaterally. Subtle cognitive decline in PD is associated with abnormalities of frontal and interhemispheric WM connections, and not with GM atrophy. DT MRI might contribute to the identification of structural changes in PD‐MCI patients prior to the development of dementia. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1921–1929, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Tract-specific white matter structural disruption in patients with bipolar disorder

Benedetti F, Absinta M, Rocca MA, Radaelli D, Poletti S, Bernasconi A, Dallaspezia S, Pagani E, Falini A, Copetti M, Colombo C, Comi G, Smeraldi E, Filippi M. Tract‐specific white matter structural disruption in patients with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2011: 13: 414–424. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives: A growing body of evidence suggests that, independent of localized brain lesions, mood disorders can be associated with dysfunction of brain networks involved in the modulation of emotional and cognitive behavior. We used diffusion tensor (DT) tractography to quantify the presence and extent of structural injury to the connections between the amygdala and other brain regions, which included the subgenual, the supragenual and posterior cingulate, the parahippocampal, the orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, as well as the insula. Methods: Using a 3.0 Tesla scanner, conventional and DT magnetic resonance imaging sequences of the brain were acquired from 15 adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), 15 with bipolar disorder (BD), and 21 age‐matched healthy controls. Using FSL software, diffusivity changes of the white matter (WM) fiber bundles belonging to the emotional network were measured. Results: Compared to controls and MDD patients, BD patients had significantly decreased average fractional anisotropy, increased average mean diffusivity, and increased average axial and radial diffusivity values in the majority of the WM fiber bundles connecting structures of the anterior limbic network (p‐values ranging from 0.002 to 0.040). Medication load did not influence the results with the exception of lithium, which was associated with normal diffusivity values in tracts connecting the amygdala with the subgenual cingulate cortex. Conclusions: We detected specific WM abnormalities, suggestive of disrupted integrity of fiber bundles in the brains of patients with BD. These abnormalities might contribute to understanding both mood dysregulation and cognitive disturbances in BD, and might provide an objective marker to monitor treatment efficacy in this condition.     

皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆患者认知功能与脑白质弥散张量成像的关系

目的探讨皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆(SIVD)患者认知功能与脑白质弥散张量成像(DTI)的关系。方法采用MMSE、蒙特利尔认知测评量表(Mo CA)及临床痴呆量表(CDR)评价60例SIVD患者(SIVD组)和45名正常对照者(正常对照组)。应用DTI技术测量患者脑白质不同感兴趣区(ROI)各向异性分数(FA)和表观弥散系数(ADC)。SIVD组用常规头颅MRI采用年龄相关白质改变(ARWMC)评分方法对侧脑室周围脑白质高信号严重程度进行评分。结果与SIVD组比较,正常对照组MMSE及Mo CA评分显著增高,CDR评分显著降低(均P0.01)。与正常对照组比较,SIVD组双侧额叶前部、双侧侧脑室前角区及后角区的FA值显著下降,ADC值显著升高(P0.05~0.01)。其余各区FA及ADC值差异无统计学意义。SIVD组ARWMC评分为1分11例(18.3%),2分31例(51.7%),3分18例(30.0%)。正常对照组中5人(11.1%)为1分。Spearman相关性分析显示,SIVD组ARWMC评分与双侧侧脑室前角区及后角区FA值呈负相关(r=-0.912,P0.01),与ADC值呈正相关(r=0.891,P0.01)。双侧额叶前部皮质下白质及海马区FA值与MMSE及Mo CA评分呈正相关(P0.05~0.01)。结论 SIVD患者多个ROI的FA值降低及ADC值的增高程度,可以反映认知功能障碍的程度。     

抑郁症患者脑白质变化初步研究

目的：利用能够提示脑白质纤维完整性的磁共振弥散张量成像（DTI）探讨首发和复发重性抑郁症患者脑白质纤维的变化及其差异。方法：20例重性抑郁症患者（首发9例，复发11例）和20名正常对照者均经常规磁共振成像（MRI）平扫，未发现异常者继续进行DTI和结构MRI（3D）扫描，基于像素的全脑分析技术对DTI数据进行分析。结果：与对照组相比较，抑郁症组白质纤维结构在双侧额中回、右顶下小叶及双侧脑岛等区域白质的各向异性值（FA）显著降低（各脑区P均〈0.001，cluster〉30像素）;与首发抑郁症患者相比较，复发抑郁症患者右侧额上回、右顶叶、中央前回、中央后回及右顶下小叶等区域FA值降低更为显著（各脑区P均〈0.001，cluster〉10像素）。结论：重性抑郁症患者存在脑白质异常，抑郁反复发作会导致脑白质损害进一步加重。     

The efficiency of the brain connectome is associated with cerebrovascular reactivity in persons with white matter hyperintensities

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the organization of the brain connectome and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in persons with white matter hyperintensities. Diffusion tensor and CVR mapping 3T MRI scans were acquired in 31 participants with white matter hyperintensities. In each participant, the connectome was assessed by reconstructing all white matter tracts with tractography and segmenting the whole brain into multiple regions. Graph theory analysis was performed to quantify how effectively tracts connected brain regions by measuring the global and local efficiency of the connectome. CVR in white matter and gray matter was correlated with the global and local efficiency of the connectome, while adjusting for age, gender, and gray matter volume. For comparison, white matter hyperintensity volume was also correlated with global and local efficiency. White matter CVR was positively correlated with the global efficiency (coefficient: 23.3, p = .005) and local efficiency (coefficient: 2850, p = .004) of the connectome. Gray matter CVR was positively correlated with the global efficiency (coefficient: 21.3, p < .001) and local efficiency (coefficient: 2670, p < .001) of the connectome. White matter hyperintensity volume was negatively correlated with global efficiency (coefficient: ?0.0002, p = .003) and local efficiency (coefficient: ?0.024, p = .003) of the connectome. The association between CVR and the brain connectome suggests that impaired cerebrovascular function may be part of the pathophysiology of the disruption of the brain connectome in persons with white matter hyperintensities.     

Abnormalities of cortical thickness,subcortical shapes,and white matter integrity in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment

Subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (sVCI) is caused by lacunar infarcts or extensive and/or diffuse lesions in the white matter that may disrupt the white matter circuitry connecting cortical and subcortical regions and result in the degeneration of neurons in these regions. This study used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) techniques to examine cortical thickness, subcortical shapes, and white matter integrity in mild vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (VCIND Mild) and moderate‐to‐severe VCI (MSVCI). Our study found that compared to controls (n = 25), VCIND Mild (n = 25), and MSVCI (n = 30) showed thinner cortex predominantly in the frontal cortex. The cortex in MSVCI was thinner in the parietal and lateral temporal cortices than that in VCIND Mild. Moreover, compared to controls, VCIND Mild and MSVCI showed smaller shapes (i.e., volume reduction) in the thalamus, putamen, and globus pallidus and ventricular enlargement. Finally, compared to controls, VCIND Mild, and MSVCI showed an increased mean diffusivity in the white matter, while decreased generalized fractional anisotropy was only found in the MSVCI subjects. The major axonal bundles involved in the white matter abnormalities were mainly toward the frontal regions, including the internal capsule/corona radiata, uncinate fasciculus, and anterior section of the inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus, and were anatomically connected to the affected cortical and subcortical structures. Our findings suggest that abnormalities in cortical, subcortical, and white matter morphology in sVCI occur in anatomically connected structures, and that abnormalities progress along a similar trajectory from the mild to moderate and severe conditions. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2320–2332, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc .     

Tissue oxygen is reduced in white matter of spontaneously hypertensive-stroke prone rats: a longitudinal study with electron paramagnetic resonance

Small vessel disease is associated with white-matter (WM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hyperintensities (WMHs) in patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and subsequent damage to the WM. Although WM is vulnerable to hypoxic-ischemic injury and O₂ is critical in brain physiology, tissue O₂ level in the WM has not been measured and explored in vivo. We hypothesized that spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rat (SHR/SP) fed a Japanese permissive diet (JPD) and subjected to unilateral carotid artery occlusion (UCAO), a model to study VCI, would lead to reduced tissue oxygen (pO₂) in the deep WM. We tested this hypothesis by monitoring WM tissue pO₂ using in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry in SHR/SP rats over weeks before and after JPD/UCAO. The SHR/SP rats experienced an increase in WM pO₂ from 9 to 12 weeks with a maximal 32% increase at week 12, followed by a dramatic decrease in WM pO₂ to near hypoxic conditions during weeks 13 to 16 after JPD/UCAO. The decreased WM pO₂ was accompanied with WM damage and hemorrhages surrounding microvessels. Our findings suggest that changes in WM pO₂ may contribute to WM damage in SHR/SP rat model, and that EPR oximetry can monitor brain pO₂ in the WM of small animals.     

Associations between T1 white matter lesion volume and regional white matter microstructure in aging

White matter lesions, typically manifesting as regions of signal intensity abnormality (WMSA) on MRI, increase in frequency with age. However, the role of this damage in cognitive decline and disease is still not clear, as lesion volume has only loosely been associated with clinical status. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used to examine the quantitative microstructural integrity of white matter, and has applications in the examination of subtle changes to tissue that appear visually normal on conventional imaging. The primary goal of this study was to determine whether major macrostructural white matter damage, (total WMSA volume), is associated with microstructural integrity of normal appearing white matter, and if these macrostructural changes fully account for microstructural changes. Imaging was performed in 126 nondemented individuals, ages 43–85 years, with no history of cerebrovascular disease. Controlling for age, greater WMSA volume was associated with decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in widespread brain regions. Patterns were similar for FA and radial diffusivity but in contrast, WMSA was associated with axial diffusivity in fewer areas. Age was associated with FA in several regions, and many of these effects remained even when controlling for WMSA volume, suggesting the etiology of WMSAs does not fully account for all age‐associated white matter deterioration. These results provide evidence that WMSA volume is associated with the integrity of normal‐appearing white matter. In addition, our results suggest that overt lesions may not account for the association of increasing age with decreased white matter tissue integrity. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1085–1100, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Chemotherapy‐induced structural changes in cerebral white matter and its correlation with impaired cognitive functioning in breast cancer patients

A subgroup of patients with breast cancer suffers from mild cognitive impairment after chemotherapy. To uncover the neural substrate of these mental complaints, we examined cerebral white matter (WM) integrity after chemotherapy using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in combination with detailed cognitive assessment. Postchemotherapy breast cancer patients (n = 17) and matched healthy controls (n = 18) were recruited for DTI and neuropsychological testing, including the self‐report cognitive failure questionnaire (CFQ). Differences in DTI WM integrity parameters [fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD)] between patients and healthy controls were assessed using a voxel‐based two‐sample‐t‐test. In comparison with healthy controls, the patient group demonstrated decreased FA in frontal and temporal WM tracts and increased MD in frontal WM. These differences were also confirmed when comparing this patient group with an additional control group of nonchemotherapy‐treated breast cancer patients (n = 10). To address the heterogeneity observed in cognitive function after chemotherapy, we performed a voxel‐based correlation analysis between FA values and individual neuropsychological test scores. Significant correlations of FA with neuropsychological tests covering the domain of attention and processing/psychomotor speed were found in temporal and parietal WM tracts. Furthermore, CFQ scores correlated negatively in frontal and parietal WM. These studies show that chemotherapy seems to affect WM integrity and that parameters derived from DTI have the required sensitivity to quantify neural changes related to chemotherapy‐induced mild cognitive impairment. Hum Brain Mapp 32:480–493, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A longitudinal study of computerized cognitive training in stroke patients – effects on cognitive function and white matter

Background Computerized cognitive training is suggested to enhance attention and working memory functioning following stroke, but effects on brain and behavior are not sufficiently studied and longitudinal studies assessing brain and behavior relationships are scarce.

Objective The study objectives were to investigate relations between neuropsychological performance post-stroke and white matter microstructure measures derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), including changes after 6 weeks of working memory training.

Methods In this experimental training study, 26 stroke patients underwent DTI and neuropsychological tests at 3 time points – before and after a passive phase of 6 weeks, and again after 6 weeks of working memory training (Cogmed QM). Fractional anisotropy (FA) was extracted from stroke-free brain areas to assess the white matter microstructure. Twenty-two participants completed the majority of training (≥18/25 sessions) and were entered into longitudinal analyses.

Results Significant correlations between FA and baseline cognitive functions were observed (r = 0.58, p = 0.004), however, no evidence was found of generally improved cognitive functions following training or of changes in white matter microstructure.

Conclusions While white matter microstructure related to baseline cognitive function in stroke patients, the study revealed no effect on cognitive functions or microstructural changes in white matter in relation to computerized working memory training.     

Cerebral small vessel disease affects white matter microstructure in mild cognitive impairment

Microstructural white matter deterioration is a frequent finding in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), potentially underlying default mode network (DMN) dysfunctioning. Thus far, microstructural damage in MCI has been attributed to Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology. A cerebrovascular role, in particular the role of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), received less interest. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the role of CSVD in microstructural deterioration within the normal appearing white matter (NAWM) in MCI. MCI patients were subdivided into those with (n = 20) and without (n = 31) macrostructural CSVD evidence on MRI. Using TBSS we performed microstructural integrity comparisons within the whole brain NAWM. Secondly, we segmented white matter tracts interconnecting DMN brain regions by means of automated tractography segmentation. We used NAWM DTI measures from these tracts as dependent variables in a stepwise‐linear regression analysis, with structural and demographical predictors. Our results indicated microstructural deterioration within the anterior corpus callosum, internal and external capsule and periventricular white matter in MCI patients with CSVD, while in MCI patients without CSVD, deterioration was restricted to the right perforant path, a tract along the hippocampus. Within the full cohort of MCI patients, microstructure within the NAWM of the DMN fiber tracts was affected by the presence of CSVD. Within the cingulum along the hippocampal cortex we found a relationship between microstructural integrity and ipsilateral hippocampal volume and the extent of white matter hyperintensity. In conclusion, we found evidence of CSVD‐related microstructural damage in fiber tracts subserving the DMN in MCI. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2836–2851, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc .     

Small vessel disease and cognitive impairment: The relevance of central network connections

Central brain network connections greatly contribute to overall network efficiency. Here we examined whether small vessel disease (SVD) related white matter alterations in central brain network connections have a greater impact on executive functioning than alterations in non‐central brain network connections. Brain networks were reconstructed from diffusion‐weighted MRI scans in 72 individuals (75 ± 8 years) with cognitive impairment and SVD on MRI. The centrality of white matter connections in the network was defined using graph theory. The association between the fractional anisotropy (FA) of central versus non‐central connections, executive functioning, and markers of SVD was evaluated with linear regression and mediation analysis. Lower FA in central network connections was more strongly associated with impairment in executive functioning than FA in non‐central network connections (r = 0.41 vs. r = 0.27; P < 0.05). Results were consistent across varying thresholds to define the central subnetwork (>50%–10% connections). Higher SVD burden was associated with lower FA in central as well as non‐central network connections. However, only central network FA mediated the relationship between white matter hyperintensity volume and executive functioning [change in regression coefficient after mediation (95% CI): ?0.15 (?0.35 to ?0.02)]. The mediation effect was not observed for FA alterations in non‐central network connections [?0.03 (?0.19 to 0.04)]. These findings suggest that the centrality of network connections, and thus their contribution to global network efficiency, appears to be relevant for understanding the relationship between SVD and cognitive impairment. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2446–2454, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc .     

Assessment of white matter tract damage in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

Diffusion tensor MRI‐based tractography was used to investigate white matter (WM) changes in the major limbic (i.e., fornix and cingulum) and cortico‐cortical association pathways [i.e., the uncinate fasciculus, the inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus, the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), the superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the corpus callosum] in 25 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, 19 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients, and 15 healthy controls (HC). Mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), as well as axial (DA) and radial (DR) diffusivities were measured for each tract, using an atlas‐based tractography approach. The association of WM tract integrity with hippocampal volume was also assessed. MD values were significantly different among groups in all WM tracts (P values ranging from 0.002 to 0.03), except in the fornix (P = 0.06) and the inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus (P = 0.09). Conversely, FA was significantly different among groups in the fornix only (P = 0.02). DA values were significantly different among groups in all WM tracts (P values ranging from 0.001 to 0.01), except in the fornix (P = 0.13) and the cingulum (P = 0.29). Significantly different DR values among groups were found in the fornix (P = 0.02) and the ILF (P = 0.01). In the fornix and cingulum, DR was significantly more increased than DA in both patient groups compared to HC. No difference in DA versus DR was found in cortico‐cortical WM tracts. DA values in the fornix were significantly correlated with the hippocampal volume. This study demonstrates a different pattern of WM involvement in the limbic and cortico‐cortical association pathways in aMCI and AD patients. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

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。