Alternative Microstructural Measures to Complement Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Migraine Studies with Standard MRI Acquisition

The white matter state in migraine has been investigated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures, but results using this technique are conflicting. To overcome DTI measures, we employed ensemble average diffusion propagator measures obtained with apparent measures using reduced acquisitions (AMURA). The AMURA measures were return-to-axis (RTAP), return-to-origin (RTOP) and return-to-plane probabilities (RTPP). Tract-based spatial statistics was used to compare fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity from DTI, and RTAP, RTOP and RTPP, between healthy controls, episodic migraine and chronic migraine patients. Fifty healthy controls, 54 patients with episodic migraine and 56 with chronic migraine were assessed. Significant differences were found between both types of migraine, with lower axial diffusivity values in 38 white matter regions and higher RTOP values in the middle cerebellar peduncle in patients with a chronic migraine (p < 0.05 family-wise error corrected). Significantly lower RTPP values were found in episodic migraine patients compared to healthy controls in 24 white matter regions (p < 0.05 family-wise error corrected), finding no significant differences using DTI measures. The white matter microstructure is altered in a migraine, and in chronic compared to episodic migraine. AMURA can provide additional results with respect to DTI to uncover white matter alterations in migraine.

Download Full-text

White matter changes in chronic and episodic migraine: a diffusion tensor imaging study

The Journal of Headache and Pain ◽

10.1186/s10194-019-1071-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Álvaro Planchuelo-Gómez ◽

David García-Azorín ◽

Ángel L. Guerrero ◽

Santiago Aja-Fernández ◽

Margarita Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Chronic Migraine ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Episodic Migraine ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Radial Diffusivity ◽

White Matter Changes ◽

Axial Diffusivity ◽

External Capsule ◽

And Diffusion

Abstract Background White matter alterations have been observed in patients with migraine. However, no microstructural white matter alterations have been found particularly in episodic or chronic migraine patients, and there is limited research focused on the comparison between these two groups of migraine patients. Methods Fifty-one healthy controls, 55 episodic migraine patients and 57 chronic migraine patients were recruited and underwent brain T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI acquisition. Using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS), fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, radial diffusivity and axial diffusivity were compared between the different groups. On the one hand, all migraine patients were compared against healthy controls. On the other hand, patients from each migraine group were compared between them and also against healthy controls. Correlation analysis between clinical features (duration of migraine in years, time from onset of chronic migraine in months, where applicable, and headache and migraine frequency, where applicable) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging measures was performed. Results Fifty healthy controls, 54 episodic migraine and 56 chronic migraine patients were finally included in the analysis. Significant decreased axial diffusivity (p < .05 false discovery rate and by number of contrasts corrected) was found in chronic migraine compared to episodic migraine in 38 white matter regions from the Johns Hopkins University ICBM-DTI-81 White-Matter Atlas. Significant positive correlation was found between time from onset of chronic migraine and mean fractional anisotropy in the bilateral external capsule, and negative correlation between time from onset of chronic migraine and mean radial diffusivity in the bilateral external capsule. Conclusions These findings suggest global white matter structural differences between episodic migraine and chronic migraine. Patients with chronic migraine could present axonal integrity impairment in the first months of chronic migraine with respect to episodic migraine patients. White matter changes after the onset of chronic migraine might reflect a set of maladaptive plastic changes.

Download Full-text

Microglial activation, white matter tract damage, and disability in MS

Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation ◽

10.1212/nxi.0000000000000443 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. e443 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Eero Rissanen ◽

Jouni Tuisku ◽

Tero Vahlberg ◽

Marcus Sucksdorff ◽

Teemu Paavilainen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Microglial Activation ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Quantitative Mri ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Secondary Progressive ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Dti

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship of in vivo microglial activation to clinical and MRI parameters in MS.MethodsPatients with secondary progressive MS (n = 10) or relapsing-remitting MS (n = 10) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 17) were studied. Microglial activation was measured using PET and radioligand [11C](R)-PK11195. Clinical assessment and structural and quantitative MRI including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed for comparison.Results[11C](R)-PK11195 binding was significantly higher in the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) of patients with secondary progressive vs relapsing MS and healthy controls, in the thalami of patients with secondary progressive MS vs controls, and in the perilesional area among the progressive compared with relapsing patients. Higher binding in the NAWM was associated with higher clinical disability and reduced white matter (WM) structural integrity, as shown by lower fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity, and increased WM lesion load. Increasing age contributed to higher microglial activation in the NAWM among patients with MS but not in healthy controls.ConclusionsPET can be used to quantitate microglial activation, which associates with MS progression. This study demonstrates that increased microglial activity in the NAWM correlates closely with impaired WM structural integrity and thus offers one rational pathologic correlate to diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters.

Download Full-text

White Matter Integrity Predicts Delay Discounting Behavior in 9- to 23-Year-Olds: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn.2009.21107 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 21 (7) ◽

pp. 1406-1421 ◽

Cited By ~ 119

Author(s):

Elizabeth A. Olson ◽

Paul F. Collins ◽

Catalina J. Hooper ◽

Ryan Muetzel ◽

Kelvin O. Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Delay Discounting ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Imaging Study ◽

Temporal Lobes ◽

Brain White Matter ◽

Independent Effects ◽

Age Range

Healthy participants (n = 79), ages 9–23, completed a delay discounting task assessing the extent to which the value of a monetary reward declines as the delay to its receipt increases. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to evaluate how individual differences in delay discounting relate to variation in fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) within whole-brain white matter using voxel-based regressions. Given that rapid prefrontal lobe development is occurring during this age range and that functional imaging studies have implicated the prefrontal cortex in discounting behavior, we hypothesized that differences in FA and MD would be associated with alterations in the discounting rate. The analyses revealed a number of clusters where less impulsive performance on the delay discounting task was associated with higher FA and lower MD. The clusters were located primarily in bilateral frontal and temporal lobes and were localized within white matter tracts, including portions of the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi, anterior thalamic radiation, uncinate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, corticospinal tract, and splenium of the corpus callosum. FA increased and MD decreased with age in the majority of these regions. Some, but not all, of the discounting/DTI associations remained significant after controlling for age. Findings are discussed in terms of both developmental and age-independent effects of white matter organization on discounting behavior.

Download Full-text

White matter differences between essential tremor and Parkinson disease

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000006694 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 92 (1) ◽

pp. e30-e39 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Meher R. Juttukonda ◽

Giulia Franco ◽

Dario J. Englot ◽

Ya-Chen Lin ◽

Kalen J. Petersen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Parkinson Disease ◽

Essential Tremor ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Superior Cerebellar Peduncle ◽

Radial Diffusivity ◽

Cerebellar Peduncles ◽

Cerebellar Peduncle

ObjectiveTo assess white matter integrity in patients with essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson disease (PD) with moderate to severe motor impairment.MethodsSedated participants with ET (n = 57) or PD (n = 99) underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity values were computed. White matter tracts were defined using 3 well-described atlases. To determine candidate white matter regions that differ between ET and PD groups, a bootstrapping analysis was applied using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Linear regression was applied to assess magnitude and direction of differences in DTI metrics between ET and PD populations in the candidate regions.ResultsFractional anisotropy values that differentiate ET from PD localize primarily to thalamic and visual-related pathways, while diffusivity differences localized to the cerebellar peduncles. Patients with ET exhibited lower fractional anisotropy values than patients with PD in the lateral geniculate body (p < 0.01), sagittal stratum (p = 0.01), forceps major (p = 0.02), pontine crossing tract (p = 0.03), and retrolenticular internal capsule (p = 0.04). Patients with ET exhibited greater radial diffusivity values than patients with PD in the superior cerebellar peduncle (p < 0.01), middle cerebellar peduncle (p = 0.05), and inferior cerebellar peduncle (p = 0.05).ConclusionsRegionally, distinctive white matter microstructural values in patients with ET localize to the cerebellar peduncles and thalamo-cortical visual pathways. These findings complement recent functional imaging studies in ET but also extend our understanding of putative physiologic features that account for distinctions between ET and PD.

Download Full-text

Diffusion tensor imaging of cerebral white matter in patients with myotonic dystrophy

Acta Radiologica ◽

10.1080/02841850510015974 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 104-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

H. Fukuda ◽

J. Horiguchi ◽

C. Ono ◽

T. Ohshita ◽

J. Takaba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Myotonic Dystrophy ◽

Normal Control ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Age At Onset ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Magnetic Resonance Images ◽

Microstructural Changes ◽

Control Subjects

Purpose: To determine whether myotonic dystrophy (MyD) patients have diffusion tensor abnormalities suggestive of microstructural changes in normal‐appearing white matter (NAWM). Material and Methods: Conventional and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance images of the brain were obtained in 19 MyD patients and 19 age‐matched normal control subjects. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values were calculated in white matter lesions (WMLs) and NAWM in MyD patients and in the white matter of normal control subjects. Differences between WML and NAWM values and between MyD patient and control subject values were analyzed statistically. Results: Significantly lower FA and higher MD values were found in all regions of interest in the NAWM of MyD patients than in the white matter of control subjects ( P<0.01), as well as significantly lower FA and higher MD values in WMLs than in NAWM of MyD patients ( P<0.05). There was no significant correlation of mean FA or MD values in NAWM with patient age, age at onset, or duration of illness ( P>0.1). Conclusion: Diffusion tensor imaging analysis suggests the presence of diffuse microstructural changes in NAWM of MyD patients that may play an important role in the development of disability.

Download Full-text

Dysmature superficial white matter microstructure in developmental focal epilepsy

Brain Communications ◽

10.1093/braincomms/fcz002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lauren M Ostrowski ◽

Daniel Y Song ◽

Emily L Thorn ◽

Erin E Ross ◽

Sally M Stoyell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Epilepsy Syndrome ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Deep White Matter ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

Benign Epilepsy

Abstract Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes is a common childhood epilepsy syndrome that predominantly affects boys, characterized by self-limited focal seizures arising from the perirolandic cortex and fine motor abnormalities. Concurrent with the age-specific presentation of this syndrome, the brain undergoes a developmentally choreographed sequence of white matter microstructural changes, including maturation of association u-fibres abutting the cortex. These short fibres mediate local cortico-cortical communication and provide an age-sensitive structural substrate that could support a focal disease process. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the microstructural properties of superficial white matter in regions corresponding to u-fibres underlying the perirolandic seizure onset zone in children with this epilepsy syndrome compared with healthy controls. To verify the spatial specificity of these features, we characterized global superficial and deep white matter properties. We further evaluated the characteristics of the perirolandic white matter in relation to performance on a fine motor task, gender and abnormalities observed on EEG. Children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 14) underwent multimodal testing with high-resolution MRI including diffusion tensor imaging sequences, sleep EEG recordings and fine motor assessment. We compared white matter microstructural characteristics (axial, radial and mean diffusivity, and fractional anisotropy) between groups in each region. We found distinct abnormalities corresponding to the perirolandic u-fibre region, with increased axial, radial and mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy values in children with epilepsy (P = 0.039, P = 0.035, P = 0.042 and P = 0.017, respectively). Increased fractional anisotropy in this region, consistent with decreased integrity of crossing sensorimotor u-fibres, correlated with inferior fine motor performance (P = 0.029). There were gender-specific differences in white matter microstructure in the perirolandic region; males and females with epilepsy and healthy males had higher diffusion and fractional anisotropy values than healthy females (P ≤ 0.035 for all measures), suggesting that typical patterns of white matter development disproportionately predispose boys to this developmental epilepsy syndrome. Perirolandic white matter microstructure showed no relationship to epilepsy duration, duration seizure free, or epileptiform burden. There were no group differences in diffusivity or fractional anisotropy in superficial white matter outside of the perirolandic region. Children with epilepsy had increased radial diffusivity (P = 0.022) and decreased fractional anisotropy (P = 0.027) in deep white matter, consistent with a global delay in white matter maturation. These data provide evidence that atypical maturation of white matter microstructure is a basic feature in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes and may contribute to the epilepsy, male predisposition and clinical comorbidities observed in this disorder.

Download Full-text

Changes in language white matter tract microarchitecture associated with cognitive deficits in patients with presumed low-grade glioma

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/2017.12.jns171681 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 130 (5) ◽

pp. 1538-1546 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Fatih Incekara ◽

Djaina Satoer ◽

Evy Visch-Brink ◽

Arnaud Vincent ◽

Marion Smits

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Low Grade Glioma ◽

Cognitive Domain ◽

Awake Surgery ◽

Low Grade ◽

Linear Regression Models

OBJECTIVEThe authors conducted a study to determine whether cognitive functioning of patients with presumed low-grade glioma is associated with white matter (WM) tract changes.METHODSThe authors included 77 patients with presumed low-grade glioma who underwent awake surgery between 2005 and 2013. Diffusion tensor imaging with deterministic tractography was performed preoperatively to identify the arcuate, inferior frontooccipital, and uncinate fasciculi and to obtain the mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity per tract. All patients were evaluated preoperatively using an extensive neuropsychological protocol that included assessments of the language, memory, and attention/executive function domains. Linear regression models were used to analyze each cognitive domain and each diffusion tensor imaging metric of the 3 WM tracts.RESULTSSignificant correlations (corrected for multiple testing) were found between FA of the arcuate fasciculus and results of the repetition test for the language domain (β = 0.59, p < 0.0001) and between FA of the inferior frontooccipital fasciculus and results of the imprinting test for the memory domain (β = −0.55, p = 0.002) and the attention test for the attention and executive function domain (β = −0.62, p = 0.006).CONCLUSIONSIn patients with glioma, language deficits in repetition of speech, imprinting, and attention deficits are associated with changes in the microarchitecture of the arcuate and inferior frontooccipital fasciculi.

Download Full-text

Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Evolving Response to Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

Journal of Experimental Neuroscience ◽

10.1177/1179069519858627 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 117906951985862 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wouter S Hoogenboom ◽

Todd G Rubin ◽

Kenny Ye ◽

Min-Hui Cui ◽

Kelsey C Branch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

Brain Injury ◽

White Matter ◽

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Axonal Injury ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Multiple Time ◽

Post Injury

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, is a serious public health challenge. Although most patients recover, a substantial minority suffers chronic disability. The mechanisms underlying mTBI-related detrimental effects remain poorly understood. Although animal models contribute valuable preclinical information and improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms following mTBI, only few studies have used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to study the evolution of axonal injury following mTBI in rodents. It is known that DTI shows changes after human concussion and the role of delineating imaging findings in animals is therefore to facilitate understanding of related mechanisms. In this work, we used a rodent model of mTBI to investigate longitudinal indices of axonal injury. We present the results of 45 animals that received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at multiple time points over a 2-week period following concussive or sham injury yielding 109 serial observations. Overall, the evolution of DTI metrics following concussive or sham injury differed by group. Diffusion tensor imaging changes within the white matter were most noticeable 1 week following injury and returned to baseline values after 2 weeks. More specifically, we observed increased fractional anisotropy in combination with decreased radial diffusivity and mean diffusivity, in the absence of changes in axial diffusivity, within the white matter of the genu corpus callosum at 1 week post-injury. Our study shows that DTI can detect microstructural white matter changes in the absence of gross abnormalities as indicated by visual screening of anatomical MRI and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections in a clinically relevant animal model of mTBI. Whereas additional histopathologic characterization is required to better understand the neurobiological correlates of DTI measures, our findings highlight the evolving nature of the brain’s response to injury following concussion.

Download Full-text

Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging in psychiatry: a narrative review of its potential role in diagnosis

Pharmacological Reports ◽

10.1007/s43440-020-00177-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Piotr Podwalski ◽

Krzysztof Szczygieł ◽

Ernest Tyburski ◽

Leszek Sagan ◽

Błażej Misiak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Potential Role ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Water Molecules ◽

Mental Diseases ◽

The Brain ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Dti

Abstract Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an imaging technique that uses magnetic resonance. It measures the diffusion of water molecules in tissues, which can occur either without restriction (i.e., in an isotropic manner) or limited by some obstacles, such as cell membranes (i.e., in an anisotropic manner). Diffusion is most often measured in terms of, inter alia, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). DTI allows us to reconstruct, visualize, and evaluate certain qualities of white matter. To date, many studies have sought to associate various changes in the distribution of diffusion within the brain with mental diseases and disorders. A better understanding of white matter integrity disorders can help us recognize the causes of diseases, as well as help create objective methods of psychiatric diagnosis, identify biomarkers of mental illness, and improve pharmacotherapy. The aim of this work is to present the characteristics of DTI as well as current research on its use in schizophrenia, affective disorders, and other mental disorders.

Download Full-text

Mapping white matter damage distribution in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders with a multimodal MRI approach

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458520941493 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 135245852094149

Author(s):

Laura Cacciaguerra ◽

Maria A Rocca ◽

Loredana Storelli ◽

Marta Radaelli ◽

Massimo Filippi

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

White Matter ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Neuromyelitis Optica ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders ◽

White Matter Damage ◽

Axial Diffusivity ◽

Spectrum Disorders

Background: The pathogenetic mechanisms sustaining neuroinflammatory disorders may originate from the cerebrospinal fluid. Objective: To evaluate white matter damage with diffusion tensor imaging and T1/T2-weighted ratio at progressive distances from the ventricular system in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and multiple sclerosis. Methods: Fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, and radial diffusivity and T1/T2-weighted ratio maps were obtained from patients with seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, multiple sclerosis, and healthy controls ( n = 20 each group). White matter damage was assessed as function of ventricular distance within progressive concentric bands. Results: Compared to healthy controls, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders patients had similar fractional anisotropy, radial and axial diffusivity, increased mean diffusivity ( p = 0.009–0.013) and reduced T1/T2-weighted ratio ( p = 0.024–0.037) in all bands. In multiple sclerosis, gradient of percentage lesion volume and intra-lesional mean and axial diffusivity were higher in periventricular bands. Compared to healthy controls, multiple sclerosis patients had reduced fractional anisotropy ( p = 0.001–0.043) in periventricular bands, increased mean ( p < 0.001), radial ( p < 0.001–0.004), and axial diffusivity ( p = 0.002–0.008) and preserved T1/T2-weighted ratio in all bands. Conclusion: White matter damage is higher at periventricular level in multiple sclerosis and diffuse in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Fractional anisotropy preservation, associated with increased mean diffusivity and reduced T1/T2-weighted ratio may reflect astrocyte damage.

Download Full-text