Abstract Details

Title Striatal Atrophy and Shape Changes in Parkinson's Disease

Topic Movement Disorders

Presentation(s) S33 - (-)

Poster/Presentation
Number 004

Objective

Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is marked pathologically by progressive nigrostriatal cell degeneration. Several lines of evidence suggest that the most severe dopaminergic terminal losses within the striatum occur in the caudal putamen, with the caudate being less affected. Previous structural MRI studies have demonstrated reduced striatal volume in PD patients, raising the hope that this measurement may provide an in vivo marker for PD progression. These results, however, have been inconsistent due to methodological limitations. Moreover, the exact cause and clinical implications of the volume differences remain unknown.

Design/Methods High resolution T1- and T2-weighted MRI (3T) brain images were obtained from 40 PD and 40 control subjects matched for age and gender. Putamen and caudate ROIs were obtained using an atlas-based automatic segmentation algorithm followed by manual correction by an investigator blinded to group designation. Shape analysis was conducted using a spherical harmonic description and point density models algorithm (SPHARM-PDM). Structural measurements were compared between PD most affected / least affected sides (MAS/LAS) and the average of the control group.

Results Compared to controls, PD subjects had significantly lower putamen (MAS p=0.005, LAS p=0.005) and caudate (MAS p=0.014, LAS p=0.056) volumes. Shape analysis further revealed localized atrophy of the putamen but not the caudate. Salient atrophy was present on the anterolateral, posterolateral, dorsolateral, and posteromedial surfaces of the putamen.

Conclusions These data suggest significant PD-related differential volume changes in the putamen and caudate that correspond to the known pattern of dopamine depletion. Longitudinal follow-up is ongoing and may provide additional evidence regarding the suitability of striatal volume and shape as biomarkers of PD progression in vivo.

Authors/Disclosures
Nicholas Sterling PRESENTER	No disclosure on file
Guangwei Du, MD, PhD (Hershey Medical Center)	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Xuemei Huang, MD, PhD (Univeristy of Virginia School of Medicine)	Dr. Huang has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of NIH. Dr. Huang has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of DoD. The institution of Dr. Huang has received research support from NIH.
Luca Prosperini, MD	No disclosure on file

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