Authors: Jeffrey R Wozniak Bryon A Mueller Christopher J Bell Ryan L Muetzel Kelvin O Lim John W Day
Publish Date: 2012/11/29
Volume: 260, Issue: 4, Pages: 1122-1131
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging was used to evaluate cerebral white matter in 16 patients ages 9–18 with myotonic dystrophy type 1 compared to 15 matched controls Patients with myotonic dystrophy showed abnormalities in mean diffusivity compared to controls in frontal temporal parietal and occipital white matter and in all individual tracts examined Whole cerebrum mean diffusivity was 86 higher overall in patients with myotonic dystrophy compared to controls Whole cerebrum fractional anisotropy was also abnormal 108 low overall in all regions and tracts except corticospinal tracts Followup analysis of parallel and perpendicular diffusivity suggests possible relative preservation of myelin in corticospinal tracts Correlations between Wechsler working memory performance and mean diffusivity were strong for all regions Frontal and temporal fractional anisotropy were correlated with working memory as well Results are consistent with earlier studies demonstrating that significant white matter disturbances are characteristic in young patients with myotonic dystrophy and that these abnormalities are associated with the degree of working memory impairment seen in this diseaseThis work was supported the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke NINDS R01NS05659205 the National Centers for Research Resources BTRC P41RR008079 and P4EB015894 the National Institutes of Health Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Core Center P30NS057091 and P30NS5076408 the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center at the University of Minnesota the University of Minnesota Supercomputing Institute MSI
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