Multiparametric MRI dataset for susceptibility-based radiomic feature extraction and analysis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating disease impacting the central nervous system. Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques (e.g., T2w images) help diagnose MS, although they sometimes reveal non-specific lesions. Quantitative MRI techniques are capable of quantifying imaging biomarkers in vivo, offering the potential to identify specific signs related to pre-clinical inflammation. Among those techniques, Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) is particularly useful for studying processes that influence the magnetic properties of brain tissue, such as alterations in myelin concentration. Because of its intrinsic quantitative nature, it is particularly well-suited to be analyzed through radiomics, including techniques that extract a high number of complex and multi-dimensional features from radiological images. The dataset presented in this work provides information about normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in a cohort of MS patients and healthy controls. It includes QSM-based radiomic features from NAWM and its tracts, and MR sequences necessary to implement the pipeline: T1w, T2w, QSM, DWI. The workflow is outlined in this article, along with an application showing feature reliability assessment.

[The association between frontotemporal connecting fibers and seizure severity in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy].

The patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) admitted in the Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from June 2009 to February 2012 were prospectively enrolled. The diffusion tensor imaing was performed on the patients at the time of enrollment and 3 years later. The fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the white matter connecting fibers(bilateral hooked, arcuate, cingulate, and superior longitudinal tracts), the connecting fibers of both hemispheres(anterior union, anterior callosal forceps, posterior forceps, and bilateral fornix), and fibers of perirhinal cortices system(bilateral radiating crown and anterior limb of the internal capsule) were measured by the region of interest method. The severity of epilepsy was evaluated using the Veterans Administration Seizure Type and Frequency Rating Scale(VA-2) and National Hospital Seizure Severity Scale (NHS3). A total of 51 patients with TLE were screened, with 27 patients completing the 3-year follow-up. There were 13 males and 14 females with an age of (32±11) years and a follow-up duration of (39.1±1.1) months. During the follow-up, 6 patients had increased/unchanged NHS3 or VA-2 scores, while 21 patients had decreased scores. Three years later, the FA values of the bilateral arcuate fasciculus, the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, the right radial coronal and corpus callosum anterior forceps in TLE patients decreased compared to baseline(P<0.05). However, compared to the patients with decreased VA-2 scores during the follow-up, the degree of increase in FA values (ΔFA, follow-up FA value-baseline FA value) of the ipsilateral hook bundle caused by epilepsy was more significant in the group with increased/unchanged VA-2 scores (decreased score group vs increased/unchanged score group:-0.032±0.063 vs 0.018±0.043, t=2.305, P=0.035). The value of ΔFA in epileptic patients with increased/unchanged NHS3 scores (0.075±0.113) was higher compared to those with decreased scores (-0.079±0.099, t=2.804, P=0.010). Correlation analysis also showed the changes in FA values of epileptic lateral fasciculus (r=0.503, P=0.009) and arcuate fasciculus (r=0.602, P=0.001)were positively correlated with the changes in VA-2 and HNS3 scores, respectively. The seizure severity in patients with TLE was closely associated with the microstructure changes in the frontal and temporal white matter, especially the arcuate and uncinate tracts, on the same side that caused seizures, which may indicate the white matter remodeling and abnormal network reformation associated with seizures.

[Vanishing white matter disease, a rare leukodystrophy with mutation in the EIF2B5 gene]. / Eltuno fehérállomány-betegség, a leukodystrophiák ritka altípusa az EIF2B5 gén mutációjával.

Background - Leukodystrophies, a hete­ro­­ge­neous group of brain and spinal cord dis­orders, often pose challenges in es­tab­li­shing molecular etiology. Vanishing White Matter Disease (VWMD) is a rare sub­type of leu­ko­dys­trophies presenting with characteristic clinical and MRI features, ne­ver­theless, achieving diag­nostic certainty requires genetic studies.

Case presentation - Our patient is a nine year old girl, who developed progressive gait difficulties at around 3-4 years of age. Her brain MRI showed confluent lesions with in­­creased signal intensity in the cerebral and cerebellar white matter on T2/FLAIR se­quen­ces, within which hypointense regions ap­peared with signal intensity resembling that of the cerebrospinal fluid on T1 sequences. Whole exome sequencing identified a homozygous likely pathogenic variant within the EIF2B5 gene in the proband, which was present in a heterozygous state in both asymptomatic parents. Having the clinical and molecular genetic diagnosis established, we explored therapeutic possibilities for the patient.

Conclusion - VWMD is a severe form of leukodystrophies with little or no disease modifying therapy available until recently. A better understanding of its molecular pathogenesis offers some hope for new inventive therapies. 

Serum albumin and white matter hyperintensities.

People living with HIV and those diagnosed with alcohol use disorders (AUD) relative to healthy individuals commonly have low levels of serum albumin, substantiated as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. White matter hyperintensities (WMH)-a neuroimaging feature of cerebral small vessel disease-are also related to cardiovascular disease. Despite consensus regarding associations between high levels of urine albumin and WMH prevalence, and low serum albumin levels and impaired cognitive functioning, relations between serum albumin and WMH burdens have rarely been evaluated. Here, a sample including 160 individuals with AUD, 142 living with HIV, and 102 healthy controls was used to test the hypothesis that serum albumin would be inversely related to WMH volumes and directly related to cognitive performance in the two diagnostic groups. Although serum albumin and periventricular WMH volumes showed an inverse relationship in both AUD and HIV groups, this relationship persisted only in the HIV group after consideration of traditional cardiovascular (i.e., age, sex, body mass index (BMI), nicotine use, hypertension, diabetes), study-relevant (i.e., race, socioeconomic status, hepatitis C virus status), and disease-specific (i.e., CD4 nadir, HIV viral load, HIV duration) factors. Further, serum albumin contributed more significantly than periventricular WMH volume to variance in performance on a verbal learning and memory composite score in the HIV group only. Relations in both HIV and AUD groups between albumin and hematological red blood cell markers (e.g., hemoglobin, hematocrit) suggest that in this sample, serum albumin reflects hematological abnormalities. Albumin, a simple serum biomarker available in most clinical settings, may therefore help identify periventricular WMH burden and performance levels in specific cognitive domains in people living with HIV. Whether serum albumin contributes mechanistically to periventricular WMH in HIV will require additional investigation.

Anisotropic longitudinal water proton relaxation in white matter investigated ex vivo in porcine spinal cord with sample rotation.

A variation of the longitudinal relaxation time T 1 in brain regions that differ in their main fiber direction has been occasionally reported, however, with inconsistent results. Goal of the present study was to clarify such inconsistencies, and the origin of potential T 1 orientation dependence, by applying direct sample rotation and comparing the results from different approaches to measure T 1 . A section of fixed porcine spinal cord white matter was investigated at 3 T with variation of the fiber-to-field angle θ FB . The experiments included one-dimensional inversion-recovery, MP2RAGE, and variable flip-angle T 1 measurements at 22 °C and 36 °C as well as magnetization-transfer (MT) and diffusion-weighted acquisitions. Depending on the technique, different degrees of T 1 anisotropy (between 2 and 10%) were observed as well as different dependencies on θ FB (monotonic variation or T 1 maximum at 30-40°). More pronounced anisotropy was obtained with techniques that are more sensitive to MT effects. Furthermore, strong correlations of θ FB -dependent MT saturation and T 1 were found. A comprehensive analysis based on the binary spin-bath model for MT revealed an interplay of several orientation-dependent parameters, including the transverse relaxation times of the macromolecular and the water pool as well as the longitudinal relaxation time of the macromolecular pool.

Radiomic white matter parameters of functional integrity of the corticospinal tract in high-grade glioma.

Tractography has become a widely available tool for the planning of neurosurgical operations as well as for neuroscientific research. The absence of patient interaction makes it easily applicable. However, it leaves uncertainty about the functional relevance of the identified bundles. We retrospectively analyzed the correlation of white matter markers with their clinical function in 24 right-handed patients who underwent first surgery for high-grade glioma. Morphological affection of the corticospinal tract (CST) and grade of paresis were assessed before surgery. Tractography was performed manually with MRTrix3 and automatically with TractSeg. Median and mean fractional anisotropy (FA) from manual tractography showed a significant correlation with CST affection (p = 0.008) and paresis (p = 0.015, p = 0.026). CST affection correlated further most with energy, and surface-volume ratio (p = 0.014) from radiomic analysis. Paresis correlated most with maximum 2D column diameter (p = 0.005), minor axis length (p = 0.006), and kurtosis (p = 0.008) from radiomic analysis. Streamline count yielded no significant correlations. In conclusion, mean or median FA can be used for the assessment of CST integrity in high-grade glioma. Also, several radiomic parameters are suited to describe tract integrity and may be used to quantitatively analyze white matter in the future.

Multimodal cross-examination of progressive apraxia of speech by diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography and Tau-PET scans.

Progressive apraxia of speech (PAOS) is a 4R tauopathy characterized by difficulties with motor speech planning. Neurodegeneration in PAOS targets the premotor cortex, particularly the supplementary motor area (SMA), with degeneration of white matter (WM) tracts connecting premotor and motor cortices and Broca's area observed on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We aimed to assess flortaucipir uptake across speech-language-related WM tracts identified using DTI tractography in PAOS. Twenty-two patients with PAOS and 26 matched healthy controls were recruited by the Neurodegenerative Research Group (NRG) and underwent MRI and flortaucipir-PET. The patient population included patients with primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) and non-fluent variant/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (agPPA). Flortaucipir PET scans and DTI were coregistered using rigid registration with a mutual information cost function in subject space. Alignments between DTI and flortaucipir PET were inspected in all cases. Whole-brain tractography was calculated using deterministic algorithms by a tractography reconstruction tool (DSI-studio) and specific tracts were identified using an automatic fiber tracking atlas-based method. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and flortaucipir standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were averaged across the frontal aslant tract, arcuate fasciculi, inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus, inferior and middle longitudinal fasciculi, as well as the SMA commissural fibers. Reduced FA (p < .0001) and elevated flortaucipir SUVR (p = .0012) were observed in PAOS cases compared to controls across all combined WM tracts. For flortaucipir SUVR, the greatest differentiation of PAOS from controls was achieved with the SMA commissural fibers (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve [AUROC] = 0.83), followed by the left arcuate fasciculus (AUROC = 0.75) and left frontal aslant tract (AUROC = 0.71). Our findings demonstrate that flortaucipir uptake is increased across WM tracts related to speech/language difficulties in PAOS.

Neuromodulatory subcortical nucleus integrity is associated with white matter microstructure, tauopathy and APOE status.

The neuromodulatory subcortical nuclei within the isodendritic core (IdC) are the earliest sites of tauopathy in Alzheimer's disease (AD). They project broadly throughout the brain's white matter. We investigated the relationship between IdC microstructure and whole-brain white matter microstructure to better understand early neuropathological changes in AD. Using multiparametric quantitative magnetic resonance imaging we observed two covariance patterns between IdC and white matter microstructure in 133 cognitively unimpaired older adults (age 67.9 ± 5.3 years) with familial risk for AD. IdC integrity related to 1) whole-brain neurite density, and 2) neurite orientation dispersion in white matter tracts known to be affected early in AD. Pattern 2 was associated with CSF concentration of phosphorylated-tau, indicating AD specificity. Apolipoprotein-E4 carriers expressed both patterns more strongly than non-carriers. IdC microstructure variation is reflected in white matter, particularly in AD-affected tracts, highlighting an early mechanism of pathological development.

Microstructural differences in the cingulum and the inferior longitudinal fasciculus are associated with (extinction) learning.

Cognitive functions, such as learning and memory processes, depend on effective communication between brain regions which is facilitated by white matter tracts (WMT). We investigated the microstructural properties and the contribution of WMT to extinction learning and memory in a predictive learning task. Forty-two healthy participants completed an extinction learning paradigm without a fear component. We examined differences in microstructural properties using diffusion tensor imaging to identify underlying neural connectivity and structural correlates of extinction learning and their potential implications for the renewal effect. Participants with good acquisition performance exhibited higher fractional anisotropy (FA) in WMT including the bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and the right temporal part of the cingulum (CNG). This indicates enhanced connectivity and communication between brain regions relevant to learning and memory resulting in better learning performance. Our results suggest that successful acquisition and extinction performance were linked to enhanced structural connectivity. Lower radial diffusivity (RD) in the right ILF and right temporal part of the CNG was observed for participants with good acquisition learning performance. This observation suggests that learning difficulties associated with increased RD may potentially be due to less myelinated axons in relevant WMT. Also, participants with good acquisition performance were more likely to show a renewal effect. The results point towards a potential role of structural integrity in extinction-relevant WMT for acquisition and extinction.

Diffusion-tensor-imaging 1-year-old and 2-year-old infant brain atlases with comprehensive gray and white matter labels.

Human infancy is marked by fastest postnatal brain structural changes. It also coincides with the onset of many neurodevelopmental disorders. Atlas-based automated structure labeling has been widely used for analyzing various neuroimaging data. However, the relatively large and nonlinear neuroanatomical differences between infant and adult brains can lead to significant offsets of the labeled structures in infant brains when adult brain atlas is used. Age-specific 1- and 2-year-old brain atlases covering all major gray and white matter (GM and WM) structures with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and structural MRI are critical for precision medicine for infant population yet have not been established. In this study, high-quality DTI and structural MRI data were obtained from 50 healthy children to build up three-dimensional age-specific 1- and 2-year-old brain templates and atlases. Age-specific templates include a single-subject template as well as two population-averaged templates from linear and nonlinear transformation, respectively. Each age-specific atlas consists of 124 comprehensively labeled major GM and WM structures, including 52 cerebral cortical, 10 deep GM, 40 WM, and 22 brainstem and cerebellar structures. When combined with appropriate registration methods, the established atlases can be used for highly accurate automatic labeling of any given infant brain MRI. We demonstrated that one can automatically and effectively delineate deep WM microstructural development from 3 to 38 months by using these age-specific atlases. These established 1- and 2-year-old infant brain DTI atlases can advance our understanding of typical brain development and serve as clinical anatomical references for brain disorders during infancy.

Diabetes-related clinical and microstructural white matter changes in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

AIM: Although there exists substantial epidemiological evidence indicating an elevated risk of dementia in individuals with diabetes, our understanding of the neuropathological underpinnings of the association between Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear. This study aims to unveil the microstructural brain changes associated with T2DM in AD and identify the clinical variables contributing to these changes. METHODS: In this retrospective study involving 64 patients with AD, 31 individuals had concurrent T2DM. The study involved a comparative analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) images and clinical features between patients with and without T2DM. The FSL FMRIB software library was used for comprehensive preprocessing and tractography analysis of DTI data. After eddy current correction, the "bedpost" model was utilized to model diffusion parameters. Linear regression analysis with a stepwise method was used to predict the clinical variables that could lead to microstructural white matter changes. RESULTS: We observed a significant impairment in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) among patients with AD who also had T2DM. This impairment in patients with AD and T2DM was associated with an elevation in creatine levels. CONCLUSION: The white matter microstructure in the left SLF appears to be sensitive to the impairment of kidney function associated with T2DM in patients with AD. The emergence of AD in association with T2DM may be driven by mechanisms distinct from the typical AD pathology. Compromised renal function in AD could potentially contribute to impaired white matter integrity.

Choir singing is associated with enhanced structural connectivity across the adult lifespan.

The global ageing of populations calls for effective, ecologically valid methods to support brain health across adult life. Previous evidence suggests that music can promote white matter (WM) microstructure and grey matter (GM) volume while supporting auditory and cognitive functioning and emotional well-being as well as counteracting age-related cognitive decline. Adding a social component to music training, choir singing is a popular leisure activity among older adults, but a systematic account of its potential to support healthy brain structure, especially with regard to ageing, is currently missing. The present study used quantitative anisotropy (QA)-based diffusion MRI connectometry and voxel-based morphometry to explore the relationship of lifetime choir singing experience and brain structure at the whole-brain level. Cross-sectional multiple regression analyses were carried out in a large, balanced sample (N = 95; age range 21-88) of healthy adults with varying levels of choir singing experience across the whole age range and within subgroups defined by age (young, middle-aged, and older adults). Independent of age, choir singing experience was associated with extensive increases in WM QA in commissural, association, and projection tracts across the brain. Corroborating previous work, these overlapped with language and limbic networks. Enhanced corpus callosum microstructure was associated with choir singing experience across all subgroups. In addition, choir singing experience was selectively associated with enhanced QA in the fornix in older participants. No associations between GM volume and choir singing were found. The present study offers the first systematic account of amateur-level choir singing on brain structure. While no evidence for counteracting GM atrophy was found, the present evidence of enhanced structural connectivity coheres well with age-typical structural changes. Corroborating previous behavioural studies, the present results suggest that regular choir singing holds great promise for supporting brain health across the adult life span.

Decreased brain iron deposition based on quantitative susceptibility mapping correlates with reduced neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder.

To investigate potential correlations between the susceptibility values of certain brain regions and the severity of disease or neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 18 ASD children and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The neurodevelopmental status was assessed by the Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) and the severity of the disease was evaluated by the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Eleven brain regions were selected as regions of interest and the susceptibility values were measured by quantitative susceptibility mapping. To evaluate the diagnostic capacity of susceptibility values in distinguishing ASD and HC, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was computed. Pearson and Spearman partial correlation analysis were used to depict the correlations between the susceptibility values, the ABC scores, and the GDS scores in the ASD group. ROC curves showed that the susceptibility values of the left and right frontal white matter had a larger area under the curve in the ASD group. The susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus was positively correlated with the GDS-fine motor scale score. These findings indicated that the susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus might be a viable imaging biomarker for evaluating the neurodevelopmental status of ASD children.

Human intraparietal sulcal morphology relates to individual differences in language and memory performance.

The sulco-gyral pattern is a qualitative feature of the cortical anatomy that is determined in utero, stable throughout lifespan and linked to brain function. The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a nodal associative brain area, but the relation between its morphology and cognition is largely unknown. By labelling the left and right IPS of 390 healthy participants into two patterns, according to the presence or absence of a sulcus interruption, here we demonstrate a strong association between the morphology of the right IPS and performance on memory and language tasks. We interpret the results as a morphological advantage of a sulcus interruption, probably due to the underlying white matter organization. The right-hemisphere specificity of this effect emphasizes the neurodevelopmental and plastic role of sulcus morphology in cognition prior to lateralisation processes. The results highlight a promising area of investigation on the relationship between cognitive performance, sulco-gyral pattern and white matter bundles.

Predicting Alzheimer's progression in MCI: a DTI-based white matter network model.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify features of white matter network attributes based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) that might lead to progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and construct a comprehensive model based on these features for predicting the population at high risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in MCI patients. METHODS: This study enrolled 121 MCI patients from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Among them, 36 progressed to AD after four years of follow-up. A brain network was constructed for each patient based on white matter fiber tracts, and network attribute features were extracted. White matter network features were downscaled, and white matter markers were constructed using an integrated downscaling approach, followed by forming an integrated model with clinical features and performance evaluation. RESULTS: APOE4 and ADAS scores were used as independent predictors and combined with white matter network markers to construct a comprehensive model. The diagnostic efficacy of the comprehensive model was 0.924 and 0.919, sensitivity was 0.864 and 0.900, and specificity was 0.871 and 0.815 in the training and test groups, respectively. The Delong test showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in the diagnostic efficacy of the combined model and APOE4 and ADAS scores, while there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the combined model and white matter network biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive model constructed based on white matter network markers can identify MCI patients at high risk of progression to AD and provide an adjunct biomarker helpful in early AD detection.

The impact of sunlight exposure on brain structural markers in the UK Biobank.

Sunlight is closely intertwined with daily life. It remains unclear whether there are associations between sunlight exposure and brain structural markers. General linear regression analysis was used to compare the differences in brain structural markers among different sunlight exposure time groups. Stratification analyses were performed based on sex, age, and diseases (hypertension, stroke, diabetes). Restricted cubic spline was performed to examine the dose-response relationship between natural sunlight exposure and brain structural markers, with further stratification by season. A negative association of sunlight exposure time with brain structural markers was found in the upper tertile compared to the lower tertile. Prolonged natural sunlight exposure was associated with the volumes of total brain (ß: - 0.051, P < 0.001), white matter (ß: - 0.031, P = 0.023), gray matter (ß: - 0.067, P < 0.001), and white matter hyperintensities (ß: 0.059, P < 0.001). These associations were more pronounced in males and individuals under the age of 60. The results of the restricted cubic spline analysis showed a nonlinear relationship between sunlight exposure and brain structural markers, with the direction changing around 2 h of sunlight exposure. This study demonstrates that prolonged exposure to natural sunlight is associated with brain structural markers change.

White matter integrity of right frontostriatal circuit predicts internet addiction severity among internet gamers.

Excessive use of the internet, which is a typical scenario of self-control failure, could lead to potential consequences such as anxiety, depression, and diminished academic performance. However, the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the structural basis of self-control and internet addiction. In a cohort of 96 internet gamers, we examined the relationships among grey matter volume and white matter integrity within the frontostriatal circuits and internet addiction severity, as well as self-control measures. The results showed a significant and negative correlation between dACC grey matter volume and internet addiction severity (p < 0.001), but not with self-control. Subsequent tractography from the dACC to the bilateral ventral striatum (VS) was conducted. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity of dACC-right VS pathway was negatively (p = 0.011) and positively (p = 0.020) correlated with internet addiction severity, respectively, and the FA was also positively correlated with self-control (p = 0.036). These associations were not observed for the dACC-left VS pathway. Further mediation analysis demonstrated a significant complete mediation effect of self-control on the relationship between FA of the dACC-right VS pathway and internet addiction severity. Our findings suggest that the dACC-right VS pathway is a critical neural substrate for both internet addiction and self-control. Deficits in this pathway may lead to impaired self-regulation over internet usage, exacerbating the severity of internet addiction.

Multi-level prediction of substance use: Interaction of white matter integrity, resting-state connectivity and inhibitory control measured repeatedly in every-day life.

Substance use disorders are characterized by inhibition deficits related to disrupted connectivity in white matter pathways, leading via interaction to difficulties in resisting substance use. By combining neuroimaging with smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA), we questioned how biomarkers moderate inhibition deficits to predict use. Thus, we aimed to assess white matter integrity interaction with everyday inhibition deficits and related resting-state network connectivity to identify multi-dimensional predictors of substance use. Thirty-eight patients treated for alcohol, cannabis or tobacco use disorder completed 1 week of EMA to report substance use five times and complete Stroop inhibition testing twice daily. Before EMA tracking, participants underwent resting state functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scanning. Regression analyses were conducted between mean Stroop performances and whole-brain fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter. Moderation testing was conducted between mean FA within significant clusters as moderator and the link between momentary Stroop performance and use as outcome. Predictions between FA and resting-state connectivity strength in known inhibition-related networks were assessed using mixed modelling. Higher FA values in the anterior corpus callosum and bilateral anterior corona radiata predicted higher mean Stroop performance during the EMA week and stronger functional connectivity in occipital-frontal-cerebellar regions. Integrity in these regions moderated the link between inhibitory control and substance use, whereby stronger inhibition was predictive of the lowest probability of use for the highest FA values. In conclusion, compromised white matter structural integrity in anterior brain systems appears to underlie impairment in inhibitory control functional networks and compromised ability to refrain from substance use.

Topological alterations in white matter anatomical networks in cervical dystonia.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating neuroimaging evidence indicates that patients with cervical dystonia (CD) have changes in the cortico-subcortical white matter (WM) bundle. However, whether these patients' WM structural networks undergo reorganization remains largely unclear. We aimed to investigate topological changes in large-scale WM structural networks in patients with CD compared to healthy controls (HCs), and explore the network changes associated with clinical manifestations. METHODS: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was conducted in 30 patients with CD and 30 HCs, and WM network construction was based on the BNA-246 atlas and deterministic tractography. Based on the graph theoretical analysis, global and local topological properties were calculated and compared between patients with CD and HCs. Then, the AAL-90 atlas was used for the reproducibility analyses. In addition, the relationship between abnormal topological properties and clinical characteristics was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, patients with CD showed changes in network segregation and resilience, characterized by increased local efficiency and assortativity, respectively. In addition, a significant decrease of network strength was also found in patients with CD relative to HCs. Validation analyses using the AAL-90 atlas similarly showed increased assortativity and network strength in patients with CD. No significant correlations were found between altered network properties and clinical characteristics in patients with CD. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that reorganization of the large-scale WM structural network exists in patients with CD. However, this reorganization is attributed to dystonia-specific abnormalities or hyperkinetic movements that need further identification.

Migraine or any headaches and white matter hyperintensities and their progression in women and men.

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have been conducted to investigate the association between migraine and any headache and white matter hyperintensities (WMH). However, studies are inconsistent regarding the strength of the association and its clinical significance. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between headache and its subtypes (migraine with aura (MigA+), migraine without aura (MigA-), non-migraine headache (nonMigHA)) and WMH and its course in the population-based 1000BRAINS study using state-of-the-art imaging techniques and migraine classification according to modified international classification of headache disorders. METHODS: Data from 1062 participants (45% women, 60.9 ± 13.0 years) with ever or never headache (neverHA) and complete quantitative (WMH volume) and qualitative (Fazekas classification) WMH data at first imaging and after 3.7 ± 0.7 years (393 participants) were analyzed. The sex-specific association between headache and its subtypes and WMH volume and its change was evaluated by linear regression, between headache and its subtypes and Fazekas score high vs. low (2-3 vs. 0-1) by log-binomial regression, adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of headache was 77.5% (10.5% MigA+, 26.9% MigA-, 40.1% nonMigHA). The median WMH volume was 4005 (IQR: 2454-6880) mm3 in women and 4812 (2842-8445) mm3 in men. Women with any headaches (all headache types combined) had a 1.23 [1.04; 1.45]-fold higher WMH volume than women who reported never having had a headache. There was no indication of higher Fazekas grading or more WMH progression in women with migraine or any headaches. Men with migraine or any headaches did not have more WMH or WMH progression compared to men without migraine or men who never had headache. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated no increased occurrence or progression of WMH in participants with mgiraine. But, our results provide some evidence of greater WMH volume in women with headache of any type including migraine. The underlying pathomechanisms and the reasons why this was not shown in men are unclear and require further research.