Voxel‐Based Morphometric Analysis in Hypothyroidism Using Diffeomorphic Anatomic Registration via an Exponentiated Lie Algebra Algorithm Approach

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate whether brain morphological differences exist between adult hypothyroid subjects and age-matched controls using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with diffeomorphic anatomic registration via an exponentiated lie algebra algorithm (DARTEL) approach. High-resolution structural magnetic resonance images were taken in ten healthy controls and ten hypothyroid subjects. The analysis was conducted using statistical parametric mapping. The VBM study revealed a reduction in grey matter volume in the left postcentral gyrus and cerebellum of hypothyroid subjects compared to controls. A significant reduction in white matter volume was also found in the cerebellum, right inferior and middle frontal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, right inferior occipital gyrus and right temporal gyrus of hypothyroid patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, no meaningful cluster for greater grey or white matter volume was obtained in hypothyroid subjects compared to controls. Our study is the first VBM study of hypothyroidism in an adult population and suggests that, compared to controls, this disorder is associated with differences in brain morphology in areas corresponding to known functional deficits in attention, language, motor speed, visuospatial processing and memory in hypothyroidism.

Effect of Experimental Thyrotoxicosis on Brain Gray Matter: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

“…The relation of such functional measurement to the morphometric changes of the cerebellum reported in the current study and by Singh et al [13] remains to be demonstrated. Also, the PET measurements were conducted in the resting state, i.e.…”

“…A recent VBM study [13] revealed a reduction in GMV in the left postcentral gyrus and the cerebellum in 10 hypothyroid patients compared to 10 euthyroid control participants. With regard to white matter volume, a reduction was found in the cerebellum and a number of cortical regions comprising right inferior and middle frontal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, right inferior occipital gyrus and right temporal gyrus in the patients.…”

“…Not having enough thyroid hormones also leads to cognitive dysfunctions in a variety of cognitive domains even if hypothyroidism occurs in adulthood [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] . Hypothyroidism during adulthood also leads to morphological changes in the brain [13] .…”

Grapheme-color synesthetes show peculiarities in their emotional brain: cortical and subcortical evidence from VBM analysis of 3D-T1 and DTI data

“…Only the control group was used to create this template, given that control-created templates can provide greater detection accuracy than those that include all subjects, even when this control group is small (Shen et al 2007). GM and WM segmented images were registered and normalized to the template using diffeomorphisms (Singh et al 2012). This method improves the image registration, which results in a better localization and increased sensitivity in analysis (Li et al 2010).…”

Hippocampal Volume Is Decreased in Adults with Hypothyroidism

“…More recently, using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), Singh et al (25) reported reduced white-and gray-matter volumes in a small number of young adults with untreated hypothyroidism (mean age = 31.1 years). Gray matter decreases were found in the bilateral cerebellum and left postcentral gyrus, while white matter decreases were found in the bilateral cerebellum, the right precentral gyrus, right inferior and middle frontal gyrus, right inferior occipital gyrus, and right inferior temporal gyrus.…”