Widespread sensorimotor and frontal cortical atrophy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Widespread cortical atrophy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) has been described in neuropathological studies. The presence of cortical atrophy in conventional and scientific neuroimaging has been a matter of debate. In studies using computertomography, positron emission tomography, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and conventional T2-weighted and proton-weighted images, results have been variable. Recent morphometric studies by magnetic resonance imaging have produced conflicting results regarding the extent of grey and white matter involvement in ALS patients.

Long-Term Clinical Follow-Up of Therapeutic Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion

“…Even if detailed neuropsychological investigations as a conditio sine qua non in patient characterization were performed, the results would be heterogeneous. In agreement with Mezzapesa et al, 1 Grosskreutz et al 4 .…”

Degeneration of the Mid-Cingulate Cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Detected In Vivo with MR Spectroscopy

“…Voxel-based morphometry has shown gray matter atrophy involving the thalamus in patients with both ALS and ALS/FTD. [33][34][35] Functional imaging studies support involvement of the thalamus, with the finding of reduced activation of the thalamus on PET studies by using cognitive paradigms in patients with ALS 29 and hypometabolism with FDG-PET in patients with motor neuron disease and FTD. 36 Microglial activation in the thalamus has been demonstrated by using 11 C(R)-PK11195-labeled PET.…”

Prospective Validation of 18F-FDG Brain PET Discriminant Analysis Methods in the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

“…First, no 3-dimensional MRI was available, so no correction for partial-volume effects to correct for atrophy was applied (29)(30)(31)(32). However, because glucose uptake is a combined measure of implicit cellular function and macroscopic atrophy effects, the validity and diagnostic power remains unchanged.…”