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Citation
Tags
HERO ID
7192224
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Spatial profiling of the corticospinal tract in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using diffusion tensor imaging
Author(s)
Wong, JCT; Concha, L; Beaulieu, C; Johnston, W; Allen, PS; Kalra, S; ,
Year
2007
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Journal of Neuroimaging
ISSN:
1051-2284
EISSN:
1552-6569
Publisher
BLACKWELL PUBLISHING
Location
OXFORD
Page Numbers
234-240
PMID
17608909
DOI
10.1111/j.1552-6569.2007.00100.x
Web of Science Id
WOS:000247608000006
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used as a noninvasive method to evaluate the anatomy of the corticospinal tract (CST) and the pattern of its degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods. Fourteen patients with ALS and 15 healthy controls underwent DTI. Parameters reflecting coherence of diffusion (fractional anisotropy, FA), bulk diffusion (apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC), and directionality of diffusion (eigenvalues) parallel to (lambda(parallel to)) or perpendicular to (lambda(perpendicular to)) fiber tracts were measured along the intracranial course of the CST. Results: FA and lambda(parallel to) increased, and ADC and lambda(perpendicular to) decreased progressively from the corona radiata to the cerebral peduncle in all subjects. The most abnormal finding in patients with ALS was reduced FA in the cerebral peduncle contralateral to the side of the body with the most severe upper motor neuron signs. lambda(parallel to) was increased in the corona radiata. Internal capsule FA correlated positively with symptom duration, and cerebral peduncle ADC positively with the Ashworth spasticity score. Conclusion: There is a spatial dependency of diffusion parameters along the CST in healthy individuals. Evidence of intracranial CST degeneration in ALS was found with distinct diffusion changes in the rostral and caudal regions.
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