Reduced white matter integrity and disrupted brain network in children with type 2 and 3 spinal muscular atrophy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by reduced expression of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. Previous studies indicated SMA causes not only lower motor neuron degeneration but also extensive brain involvement. This study aimed to investigate the changes of brain white matter and structural network using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in children with type 2 and 3 SMA.

Methods

Forty-two type 2 and 3 pediatric SMA patients and 42 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) were prospectively enrolled in this study. The tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to assess white matter integrity and the structural network properties were calculated based on DTI white matter fiber tracking and the graph theory approach. A partial correlation was performe

SUBMITTER: Nie H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11761759 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature