Longitudinal diffusion changes in prodromal and early HD: Evidence of white-matter tract deterioration.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects striatal neurons. Striatal volume loss is present years before clinical diagnosis; however, white matter degradation may also occur prior to diagnosis. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can measure microstructural changes associated with degeneration that precede macrostructural changes. DWI derived measures enhance understanding of degeneration in prodromal HD (pre-HD).

Methods

As part of the PREDICT-HD study, N = 191 pre-HD individuals and 70 healthy controls underwent two or more (baseline and 1-5 year follow-up) DWI, with n = 649 total sessions. Images were processed using cutting-edge DWI analysis methods for large multicenter studies. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metr

SUBMITTER: Shaffer JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5400101 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature