J Neuroimaging. 2015 Jul 14. doi: 10.1111/jon.12270. [Epub ahead of print] Mascalchi M, Toschi N, Giannelli M, Ginestroni A, Della Nave R, Tessa C, Piacentini S, Dotti MT, Aiello M, Nicolai E, Soricelli A, Salvi F, Diciotti S
We explored the potential of brain MR morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to track the progression of neurodegeneration in FRDA. Longitudinal analyses showed no differences in regional volume changes but a significant difference in axial diffusivity changes in cerebral and corpus callosum WM of patients as compared to controls (mean longitudinal rate of change for axial diffusivity: -.02 × 10-3 mm2 /s/year in patients vs. .01 × 10-3 mm2 /s/year in controls). No correlation with number of triplets, disease duration, and worsening of the clinical deficit was observed.
