Imaging of neuroinflammation in adult Niemann-Pick type C disease

ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that neuroinflammation is a key process in adult Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease, we undertook PET scanning utilizing a ligand binding activated microglia on 9 patients and 9 age- and sex-matched controls.MethodWe scanned all participants with the PET radioligand 11C-(R)-PK-11195 and undertook structural MRI to measure gray matter volume and white matter fractional anisotropy (FA).ResultsWe found increased binding of 11C-(R)-PK-11195 in total white matter compared to controls (p < 0.01), but not in gray matter regions, and this did not correlate with illness severity or duration. Gray matter was reduced in the thalamus (p < 0.0001) in patients, who also showed widespread reductions in FA across the brain compared to controls (p < 0.001). A significant correlation between 11C-(R)-PK11195 binding and FA was shown (p = 0.002), driven by the NPC patient group.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that neuroinflammation—particularly in white matter—may underpin some structural and degenerative changes in patients with NPC.

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Topographic patterns of white matter hyperintensities are associated with multimodal neuroimaging biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer s Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13195-020-00759-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Malo Gaubert ◽

Catharina Lange ◽

Antoine Garnier-Crussard ◽

Theresa Köbe ◽

Salma Bougacha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

White Matter ◽

Glucose Metabolism ◽

Corpus Callosum ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Fdg Pet ◽

White Matter Hyperintensities ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume

Abstract Background White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are frequently found in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Commonly considered as a marker of cerebrovascular disease, regional WMH may be related to pathological hallmarks of AD, including beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to examine the regional distribution of WMH associated with Aβ burden, glucose hypometabolism, and gray matter volume reduction. Methods In a total of 155 participants (IMAP+ cohort) across the cognitive continuum from normal cognition to AD dementia, FLAIR MRI, AV45-PET, FDG-PET, and T1 MRI were acquired. WMH were automatically segmented from FLAIR images. Mean levels of neocortical Aβ deposition (AV45-PET), temporo-parietal glucose metabolism (FDG-PET), and medial-temporal gray matter volume (GMV) were extracted from processed images using established AD meta-signature templates. Associations between AD brain biomarkers and WMH, as assessed in region-of-interest and voxel-wise, were examined, adjusting for age, sex, education, and systolic blood pressure. Results There were no significant associations between global Aβ burden and region-specific WMH. Voxel-wise WMH in the splenium of the corpus callosum correlated with greater Aβ deposition at a more liberal threshold. Region- and voxel-based WMH in the posterior corpus callosum, along with parietal, occipital, and frontal areas, were associated with lower temporo-parietal glucose metabolism. Similarly, lower medial-temporal GMV correlated with WMH in the posterior corpus callosum in addition to parietal, occipital, and fontal areas. Conclusions This study demonstrates that local white matter damage is correlated with multimodal brain biomarkers of AD. Our results highlight modality-specific topographic patterns of WMH, which converged in the posterior white matter. Overall, these cross-sectional findings corroborate associations of regional WMH with AD-typical Aß deposition and neurodegeneration.

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Voxel-based correlation of 18F-THK5351 accumulation and gray matter volume in the brain of cognitively normal older adults

EJNMMI Research ◽

10.1186/s13550-019-0552-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yoko Shigemoto ◽

Daichi Sone ◽

Miho Ota ◽

Norihide Maikusa ◽

Masayo Ogawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Cognitively Normal ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Brain

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CHARACTERIZATION OF COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE, GRAY MATTER VOLUME AND WHITE MATTER MICROSTRUCTURE IN COGNITIVELY UNIMPAIRED ADULTS WITH INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2019.06.4549 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (7) ◽

pp. P207-P209

Author(s):

Oriol Grau-Rivera ◽

Grégory Operto ◽

Carles Falcon ◽

Raffaele Cacciaglia ◽

Gonzalo Sánchez-Benavides ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

Insomnia Symptoms

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Association of Age at Onset With Gray Matter Volume and White Matter Microstructural Abnormalities in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000012869 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012869

Author(s):

Raffaello Bonacchi ◽

Alessandro Meani ◽

Elisabetta Pagani ◽

Olga Marchesi ◽

Andrea Falini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

White Matter ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Linear Models ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Age At Onset ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Compensatory Mechanisms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Matter Volume

Objective:To investigate whether age at onset influences brain gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter (WM) microstructural abnormalities in adult multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, given its influence on clinical phenotype and disease course.Method:In this hypothesis-driven cross-sectional study, we enrolled 67 pediatric-onset MS (POMS) patients and 143 sex- and disease duration (DD)-matched randomly-selected adult-onset MS (AOMS) patients, together with 208 healthy controls. All subjects underwent neurological evaluation and 3T MRI acquisition. MRI variables were standardized based on healthy controls, to remove effects of age and sex. Associations with DD in POMS and AOMS patients were studied with linear models. Time to reach clinical and MRI milestones was assessed with product-limit approach.Results:At DD=1 year, GMV and WM fractional anisotropy (FA) were abnormal in AOMS but not in POMS patients. Significant interaction of age at onset (POMS vs AOMS) into the association with DD was found for GMV and WM FA. The crossing point of regression lines in POMS and AOMS patients was at 20 years of DD for GMV and 14 for WM FA. For POMS and AOMS patients, median DD was 29 and 19 years to reach Expanded Disability Status Scale=3 (p<0.001), 31 and 26 years to reach abnormal Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task-3 (p=0.01), 24 and 18 years to reach abnormal GMV (p=0.04), and 19 and 17 years to reach abnormal WM FA (p=0.36).Conclusions:Younger patients are initially resilient to MS-related damage. Then, compensatory mechanisms start failing with loss of WM integrity, followed by GM atrophy and finally disability.

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A Correlational Study between Microstructural White Matter Properties and Macrostructural Gray Matter Volume Across Normal Ageing: Conjoint DTI and VBM Analysis

Magnetic Resonance Insights ◽

10.1177/1178623x18799926 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 1178623X1879992 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Vikas Pareek ◽

VP Subramanyam Rallabandi ◽

Prasun K Roy

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Life Span ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Radial Diffusivity ◽

Axial Diffusivity ◽

Matter Volume

We investigate the relationship between Gray matter’s volume vis-a-vis White matter’s integrity indices, such Axial diffusivity, Radial diffusivity, Mean diffusivity, and Fractional anisotropy, in individuals undergoing healthy aging. We investigated MRI scans of 177 adults across 20 to 85 years. We used Voxel-based morphometry, and FDT-FSL analysis for estimation of Gray matter volume and White matter’s diffusion indices respectively. Across the life span, we observed an inter-relationship between the Gray matter and White matter, namely that both Axial diffusivity and Mean Diffusivity show strong correlation with Gray matter volume, along the aging process. Furthermore, across all ages the Fractional anisotropy and Mean diffusivity are found to be significantly reduced in females when compared to males, but there are no significant gender differences in Axial Diffusivity and Radial diffusivity. We conclude that for both genders across all ages, the Gray matter’s Volume is strongly correlated with White matter’s Axial Diffusivity and Mean Diffusivity, while being weakly correlated with Fractional Anisotropy. Our study clarifies the multi-scale relationship in brain tissue, by elucidating how the White matter’s micro-structural parameters influences the Gray matter’s macro-structural characteristics, during healthy aging across the life-span.

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Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging reveals alterations of sensorimotor circuits in restless legs syndrome

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsz171 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 (12) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ambra Stefani ◽

Thomas Mitterling ◽

Anna Heidbreder ◽

Ruth Steiger ◽

Christian Kremser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Disease Duration ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Iron Storage ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Right

Abstract Study Objectives Integrated information on brain microstructural integrity and iron storage and its impact on the morphometric profile is not available in restless legs syndrome (RLS). We applied multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including diffusion tensor imaging, the transverse relaxation rate (R2*), a marker for iron storage, as well as gray and white matter volume measures to characterize RLS-related MRI signal distribution patterns and to analyze their associations with clinical parameters. Methods Eighty-seven patients with RLS (mean age 51, range 20–72 years; disease duration, mean 13 years, range 1–46 years, of those untreated n = 30) and 87 healthy control subjects, individually matched for age and gender, were investigated with multimodal 3T MRI. Results Volume of the white matter compartment adjacent to the post- and precentral cortex and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the frontopontine tract were both significantly reduced in RLS compared to healthy controls, and these alterations were associated with disease duration (r = 0.25, p = 0.025 and r = 0.23, p = 0.037, respectively). Corresponding gray matter volume increases of the right primary motor cortex in RLS (p < 0.001) were negatively correlated with the right FA signal of the frontopontine tract (r = −0.22; p < 0.05). Iron content evaluated with R2* was reduced in the putamen as well as in temporal and occipital compartments of the RLS cohort compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Conclusions Multimodal MRI identified progressing white matter decline of key somatosensory circuits that may underlie the perception of sensory leg discomfort. Increases of gray matter volume of the premotor cortex are likely to be a consequence of functional neuronal reorganization.

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White matter lesions and brain gray matter volume in cognitively normal elders

Neurobiology of Aging ◽

10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.08.010 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 834.e7-834.e16 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Cyrus A. Raji ◽

Oscar L. Lopez ◽

Lewis H. Kuller ◽

Owen T. Carmichael ◽

William T. Longstreth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

White Matter Lesions ◽

Cognitively Normal ◽

Matter Volume

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Increase in gray matter volume and white matter fractional anisotropy in the motor pathways of patients with secondarily generalized neocortical seizures

Epilepsy Research ◽

10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2017.09.011 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 137 ◽

pp. 61-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yue-Loong Hsin ◽

Tomor Harnod ◽

Cheng-Siu Chang ◽

Syu-Jyun Peng

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Motor Pathways ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Neocortical Seizures

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Social Cognition and Emotional Assessment (SEA) is a Marker of Medial and Orbital Frontal Functions: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study in Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Degeneration

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617712001300 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 972-985 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Maxime Bertoux ◽

Emmanuelle Volle ◽

Aurélie Funkiewiez ◽

Leonardo Cruz de Souza ◽

Delphine Leclercq ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Reversal Learning ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Structural Mri ◽

Voxel Based Morphometry ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Early Stages ◽

Emotional Assessment

AbstractThe aim of this study was to explore the cerebral correlates of functional deficits that occur in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). A specific neuropsychological battery, the Social cognition & Emotional Assessment (SEA; Funkiewiez et al., 2012), was used to assess impaired social and emotional functions in 20 bvFTD patients who also underwent structural MRI scanning. The SEA subscores of theory of mind, reversal-learning tests, facial emotion identification, and apathy evaluation were entered as covariates in a voxel-based morphometry analysis. The results revealed that the gray matter volume in the rostral part of the medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC, Brodmann area (BA) 10] was associated with scores on the theory of mind subtest, while gray matter volume within the orbitofrontal (OFC) and ventral mPFC (BA 11 and 47) was related to the scores observed in the reversal-learning subtest. Gray matter volume within BA 9 in the mPFC was correlated with scores on the emotion recognition subtest, and the severity of apathetic symptoms in the Apathy scale covaried with gray matter volume in the lateral PFC (BA 44/45). Among these regions, the mPFC and OFC cortices have been shown to be atrophied in the early stages of bvFTD. In addition, SEA and its abbreviated version (mini-SEA) have been demonstrated to be sensitive to early impairments in bvFTD (Bertoux et al., 2012). Taken together, these results suggest a differential involvement of orbital and medial prefrontal subregions in SEA subscores and support the use of the SEA to evaluate the integrity of these regions in the early stages of bvFTD. (JINS, 2012, 18, 972–985)

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