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Neuroanatomical patterns of cerebral white matter involvement in different motor neuron diseases as studied by diffusion tensor imaging analysis

Abstract This study was designed to investigate differences of white matter (WM) involvement patterns in various motor neuron disorders (MND) by use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).DTI was acquired in ALS (n = 20), primary lateral sclerosis (n = 20), pure hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) (n = 20), and complicated HSP (n = 12). The data analysis was performed by voxelwise comparison of fractional anisotropy (FA) maps at group level together with fibre tracking in regions of interest (ROI) accompanied by tractwise fractional anisotropy statistics. DTI analysis revealed widespread patterns of alterations with a predominant deterioration of the motor system. These alterations encompassed, as the key structures, not only the corticospinal tracts (CST) but also distinct areas of the corpus callosum (CC), in particular its motor segment III. In conclusion, whole brain-based and tract-based DTI analysis was able to define a distinct WM pathoanatomy of different MND. These results may serve as an additional guidance in the identification of MRI-based parameters by showing a consistent CST and CC involvement, with differences in the extent of pathology, across a range of clinically different disorders. For potential future developments in MRI diagnostics in MND, a (perhaps multiparametric) ROI-based approach should include CST and the CC motor segment.