DTI-derived indexes of brain WM correlate with cognitive performance in vascular MCI and small-vessel disease. A TBSS study

Mascalchi, Mario; Salvadori, Emilia; Toschi, Nicola; Giannelli, Marco; Orsolini, Stefano; Ciulli, Stefano; Ginestroni, Andrea; Poggesi, Anna; Giorgio, Antonio; Lorenzini, Francesca; Pasi, Marco; Stefano, Nicola De; Pantoni, Leonardo; Inzitari, Domenico; Diciotti, Stefano

doi:10.1007/s11682-018-9873-5

Cited by 21 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…However, in this study, we found no correlation between the DTI derived index and cognition, which was inconsistent with previous studies [14,16,17,39]. This may be related to the fact that our enrolled subjects are mostly preclinical patients.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Among different methods used in DTI research, trace-based spatial statistics (TBSS) is a reliable and optimized one that minimizes registration errors and personal evaluation biases, and is considered to improve sensitivity, objectivity, and interpretability when applied to multiple diffused data [13]. To our knowledge, there have been a number research on the change of WM microstructural integrity in WMH patients and its correlation with cognition [14][15][16][17]. However, few TBSS studies have directly identified differences in diffusion measurements between patients with varying degrees of WMH.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alterations of White Matter Integrity in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Their Correlation with Cognitive Performance: A Trace-Based Spatial Statistics Study

Wang

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: This study aimed to understand the injury of white matter (WM) microstructure behind white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and identify the regions where injury was more pronounced with increasing WMH severity. Moreover, we analyzed whether this microstructural injury is related to cognition. Methods: 110 patients with WMH were recruited in this research. All subjects underwent 3.0T MRI scans and neuropsychological cognitive assessments. Simple mental state examination (MMSE) along with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were applied to assess the patient's overall cognitive ability. WMH of each subject was graded according to Fazekas grade scale and was divided into two groups: (A) WMH score of 1-2 points (n=64), (b) WMH score of 3-6 points (n=46). Trace-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was applied for the analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data. All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS 26.0 statistical software. Results: The results indicate that patients with higher WMH scores showed extensively symmetrical areas of increased mean diffusion, axial diffusion and radial diffusion involving bilateral anterior limb, posterior limb and retrolenticular part of internal capsule, posterior corona radiata, external capsule, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Finally, we come to the conclusion that cognition-related WM fiber tracts tend to be more vulnerable to be injured in patients of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Moreover, changes in WM microstructure often predate changes of cognition. Early detection of microstructural changes and timely intervention can delay cognitive decline to some extent.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alterations of White Matter Integrity in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Their Correlation with Cognitive Performance: A Trace-Based Spatial Statistics Study

Wang

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Although a number of studies provided conflicting or negative results, the periventricular but not subcortical group of the WML, considered as a whole, were found by a systematic review to be correlated in older adults with the executive function and processing speed (Bolandzadeh et al, 2012) and linked, in a 10-year longitudinal study, with a faster general cognitive decline over time (De Groot et al, 2002). In terms of the damage to normal-appearing WM in VMCI, which was recognized for the first time a few years ago with the application of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) (Maillard et al, 2011), a recent DTI work from our study group highlighted its contribution for the global cognitive performance of these patients (Mascalchi et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Relevance of brain lesion location for cognition in vascular mild cognitive impairment

Giorgio

Donato

Leucio

et al. 2019

NeuroImage: Clinical

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Background Vascular mild cognitive impairment (VMCI) is a potentially transitional state between normal aging and vascular dementia. The presence of macroscopic white matter lesions (WML) of moderate or severe extension on brain MRI is the hallmark of the VMCI. Objective To assess the clinical relevance of the frequency of WML in patients with VMCI independently of total lesion volume (LV). Methods In this multicenter study, we included 110 patients with VMCI (age: 74.3 ± 6.6 years; sex: 60 women). Cognitive assessment was performed with the VMCI-Tuscany Neuropsychological Battery, which allowed to identify four VMCI groups: amnestic single ( n = 9) and multi-domain ( n = 76), non-amnestic single- ( n = 10) and multi-domain ( n = 15). Distribution and frequency of WML on MRI FLAIR images were evaluated with lesion probability map (LPM). Voxelwise statistics was performed with nonparametric permutation tests, controlling for age, sex, slice thickness, center, magnetic field strength, total LV and head size ( p < .01, family-wise error-corrected for multiple comparisons across space). Results LPM of the WML had a fairly symmetric and widespread distribution across brain. A higher frequency of WML along association tracts of the WM such as inferior longitudinal fascicle, inferior fronto-occipital fascicle and superior longitudinal fascicle, was correlated with worst cognitive scores at the Trail Making Test Part A and Copy of the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure. The non-amnestic groups showed a higher frequency of WML in the anterior cingulum and superior longitudinal fascicle close to the frontal gyrus. Conclusions Our study showed that in patients with VMCI, independently of total LV, the higher frequency of lesions along association tracts of the WM, which mediate intrahemispheric long-range connectivity, is related with psychomotor speed and constructional praxis. Moreover, a prevalence of lesions in the frontal WM seems to characterize VMCI patients with involvement of non-amnestic domains.

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“…However, our imaging findings revealed no correlation between the MoCA score and FA value. One study reported that the MoCA score positively correlated with the FA value of the corpus callosum ( Mascalchi et al, 2019 ). We speculate that the reason for this discrepancy is the susceptibility of the experimental results to bias due to our small sample size.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of Olfactory Identification Deficit in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Shao

Wang

et al. 2021

Front. Aging Neurosci.

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Objective: To explore the relationship between white matter changes and olfactory ability among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to develop a tool to predict the development of Alzheimer’s disease among patients with MCI.Methods: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used for cognitive assessments, and the 70% isopropanol test paper was used to evaluate olfactory function. Tract-based spatial statistics, based on the diffusion tensor imaging technology, were used to obtain relevant parameters, and behavioral and imaging results were compared between patients with MCI (n = 36) and healthy older adults (n = 32).Results: The olfactory ability of MCI patients was lower overall, which was positively correlated with the MoCA score. Fractional anisotropy (FA) changes significantly of all parameters. Lower FA regions were mainly located in the corpus callosum, the orbitofrontal gyrus, and the left occipital lobe. The olfactory score was significantly correlated with the FA value of the orbitofrontal gyrus. Fibrous connections in several brain regions, such as the entorhinal cortex, were stronger in patients with MCI.Conclusion: The olfactory ability of MCI patients in our group was positively correlated with the neuropsychological scale results. Impairment in olfactory function was superior to memory deficits for predicting cognitive decline among cognitively intact participants. The fibrous connections in several brain regions, such as the entorhinal cortex, were higher in patients with MCI, which suggested that there may be a compensatory mechanism in the olfactory pathway in MCI patients. The decline in olfactory function may be a significant and useful indicator of neuropathological changes in MCI patients and an effective marker for the development of cognitive decline and dementia.

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DTI-derived indexes of brain WM correlate with cognitive performance in vascular MCI and small-vessel disease. A TBSS study

Cited by 21 publications

References 51 publications

Alterations of White Matter Integrity in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Their Correlation with Cognitive Performance: A Trace-Based Spatial Statistics Study

Alterations of White Matter Integrity in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Their Correlation with Cognitive Performance: A Trace-Based Spatial Statistics Study

Relevance of brain lesion location for cognition in vascular mild cognitive impairment

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of Olfactory Identification Deficit in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

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