Evaluation of Cerebral White Matter in Prelingually Deaf Children Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging

This study compared white matter development in prelingually deaf and normal-hearing children using a tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed in 21 prelingually deaf (DEAF group) and 20 normal-hearing (HEAR group) subjects aged from 1.7 to 7.7 years. Using TBSS, we evaluated the regions of significant difference in fractional anisotropy (FA) between the groups. Correlations between FA values and age in each group were also analyzed using voxel-wise correlation analyses on the TBSS skeleton. Lower FA values of the white matter tract of Heschl’s gyrus, the inferior frontooccipital fasciculus, the uncinate fasciculus, the superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the forceps major were evident in the DEAF group compared with those in the HEAR group below 4 years of age, while the difference was not significant in older subjects. We also found that age-related development of the white matter tracts may continue until 8 years of age in deaf children. These results imply that development of the cerebral white matter tracts is delayed in prelingually deaf children.

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Tract Specificity of Age Effects on Diffusion Tensor Imaging Measures of White Matter Health

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.628865 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie Matijevic ◽

Lee Ryan

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

Individual Differences ◽

White Matter ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

White Matter Integrity ◽

White Matter Tracts ◽

Apoe Ε4 ◽

Age Related

Well-established literature indicates that older adults have poorer cerebral white matter integrity, as measured through diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Age differences in DTI have been observed widely across white matter, although some tracts appear more sensitive to the effects of aging than others. Factors like APOE ε4 status and sex may contribute to individual differences in white matter integrity that also selectively impact certain tracts, and could influence DTI changes in aging. The present study explored the degree to which age, APOE ε4, and sex exerted global vs. tract specific effects on DTI metrics in cognitively healthy late middle-aged to older adults. Data from 49 older adults (ages 54–92) at two time-points separated by approximately 2.7 years were collected. DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), were extracted from nine white matter tracts and global white matter. Results showed that across timepoints, FA and MD increased globally, with no tract-specific changes observed. Baseline age had a global influence on both measures, with increasing age associated with lower FA and higher MD. After controlling for global white matter FA, age additionally predicted FA for the genu, callosum body, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and both anterior and posterior cingulum. Females exhibited lower global FA on average compared to males. In contrast, MD was selectively elevated in the anterior cingulum and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), for females compared to males. APOE ε4 status was not predictive of either measure. In summary, these results indicate that age and sex are associated with both global and tract-specific alterations to DTI metrics among a healthy older adult cohort. Older women have poorer white matter integrity compared to older men, perhaps related to menopause-induced metabolic changes. While age-related alterations to white matter integrity are global, there is substantial variation in the degree to which tracts are impacted, possibly as a consequence of tract anatomical variability. The present study highlights the importance of accounting for global sources of variation in DTI metrics when attempting to investigate individual differences (due to age, sex, or other factors) in specific white matter tracts.

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Cerebral white matter affection in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 2: a diffusion-tensor-imaging study at 3T

Aktuelle Neurologie ◽

10.1055/s-0028-1086564 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 35 (S 01) ◽

Author(s):

C Kornblum ◽

J.C Schöne-Bake ◽

S Mirbach ◽

R.C Betz ◽

C Helmstaedter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Myotonic Dystrophy ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Imaging Study ◽

Cerebral White Matter ◽

Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 ◽

Myotonic Dystrophy Type ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Diffusion tensor imaging tractography and reliability analysis for limbic and paralimbic white matter tracts.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.5719960.5700058 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Frodl ◽

Angela Carballedo

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Reliability Analysis ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

White Matter Tracts ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Tractography

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High Resolution Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Cortical-Subcortical White Matter Tracts in TBI

10.21236/ada549548 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Deborah M. Little

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

High Resolution ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Subcortical White Matter ◽

White Matter Tracts

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Diffusion tensor imaging analysis in scrub typhus meningoencephalitis to determine the alteration of microstructural subcortical white-matter integrity

The Neuroradiology Journal ◽

10.1177/1971400920980311 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 197140092098031

Author(s):

Pranjal Phukan ◽

Kalyan Sarma ◽

Aman Yusuf Khan ◽

Bhupen Barman ◽

Md Jamil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Scrub Typhus ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Neuronal Degeneration ◽

Central Nervous System Involvement ◽

Subcortical White Matter ◽

White Matter Integrity ◽

Conventional Mri ◽

Significant Difference

Background and purpose Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in scrub typhus meningoencephalitis is non-specific, and in the majority of the cases, conventional MRI fails to detect any abnormality. However, autopsy reports depict central nervous system involvement in almost all patients. There is therefore a need for research on the quantitative assessment of brain parenchyma that can detect microstructural abnormalities. The study aimed to assess the microstructural integrity changes of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis by using different diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis. Seven patients and seven age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Different DTI parameters such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), relative anisotropy (RA), trace, volume ratio (VR) and geodesic anisotropy (GA) were obtained from six different regions of subcortical white matter at the level of the centrum semiovale. Intergroup significant difference was determined by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine the accuracy of the DTI matrices. Results There was a significant decrease in FA, RA and GA as well as an increase in ADC and VR in the subcortical white matter in patients with scrub typhus meningoencephalitis compared to controls ( p < 0.001). The maximum sensitivity of the DTI parameters was 85.7%, and the maximum specificity was 81%. Conclusion There was an alteration of subcortical white-matter integrity in scrub typhus meningoencephalitis that represents the axonal degeneration, myelin breakdown and neuronal degeneration. DTI may be a useful tool to detect white-matter abnormalities in scrub typhus meningoencephalitis in clinical practice, particularly in patients with negative conventional MRI.

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Multiple sclerosis and depressive manifestations: can diffusion tensor MR imaging help in the detection of microstructural white matter changes?

Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine ◽

10.1186/s43055-019-0033-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Talaat A. Hassan ◽

Shaima Fattouh Elkholy ◽

Bahaa Eldin Mahmoud ◽

Mona ElSherbiny

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

White Matter ◽

Limbic System ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Control Group ◽

Uncinate Fasciculus ◽

White Matter Tracts ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Right

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis is one of the commonest causes of neurological disability in middle-aged and young adults. Depression in MS patients can compromise cognitive functions, lead to suicide attempts, impair relationships and reduce compliance with disease-modifying treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the microstructural changes in the white matter tracts of the limbic system in MS patients with and those without depressive manifestations using a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique. Methods This study included 40 patients who were divided into three groups. Group 1 comprised of 20 patients with relapsing-remitting MS with depressive symptoms and group 2 comprised 10 MS patients without symptoms of depression. The third group is a control group that included 10 age-matched healthy individuals. All patients underwent conventional MRI examinations and DTI to compare the fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the white matter tracts of the limbic system. Results We compared the DTI findings in MS patients with and those without depressive symptoms. It was found that patients with depression and MS exhibited a significant reduction in the FA values of the cingulum (P < 0.0111 on the right and P < 0.0142 on the left), uncinate fasciculus (P < 0.0001 on the right and P < 0.0076 on the left) and the fornix (P < 0.0001 on both sides). No significant difference was found between the FA values of the anterior thalamic radiations in both groups. Conclusion Patients with depression and MS showed more pronounced microstructural damage in the major white matter connections of the limbic pathway, namely, the uncinate fasciculus, cingulum and fornix. These changes can be detected by DTI as decreased FA values in depressed MS patients compared to those in non-depressed patients.

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