Shape Analysis of the Subcortical Nuclei in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis without Cognitive Impairment.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Tae, Woo-Suk Sung, Joo Hye Baek, Seol-Hee Lee, Chan-Nyoung Kim, Byung-Jo
Copyright Year	2020
Abstract	Background and PurposeAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects the pyramidal motor system. However, recent studies have suggested that degeneration of the extramotor system plays a role in the disability experienced by patients with ALS. We investigated the local shape changes and mean volumes of the subcortical nuclei in sporadic ALS patients with preserved cognition.MethodsThe participants comprised 32 patients with ALS and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Three-dimensional T1-weighted structural images were acquired. Surface-based vertex analysis was performed with fully automated segmentation of both amygdalae, hippocampi, caudate nuclei, nuclei accumbens, putamina, pallida, and thalami, and the brainstem. The scalar distances from the mean surfaces of the individual subcortical nuclei were compared between groups, and correlations of the local shape distances with initial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale Revised (ALS-FRS-R) scores and the delta FRS-R and with the disease duration were analyzed.ResultsALS patients showed regional shape contractions on the lateral surfaces of both pallida, the lateroposterior surface of the right putamen, and the anterior basal surface of the right accumbens. Delta FRS-R scores were negatively correlated with local shape distances in the right hippocampus and the putamina. However, the initial ALS-FRS-R score and disease duration were not correlated with local shape distances.ConclusionsSubcortical gray-matter structures are involved in the neurodegenerative process of ALS before cognitive impairment becomes evident.
ISSN	17386586
Journal	Journal of Clinical Neurology (Seoul, Korea)
Volume Number	16
PubMed Central reference number	PMC7541997
Issue Number	4
PubMed reference number	33029965
e-ISSN	20055013
DOI	10.3988/jcn.2020.16.4.592
Language	English
Publisher	Korean Neurological Association
Publisher Date	2020-10-01
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Copyright © 2020 Korean Neurological Association
Subject Keyword	amyotrophic lateral sclerosis magnetic resonance imaging extrapyramidal tracts basal ganglia thalamus hippocampus
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Neurology Neurology (clinical)