Features of changes in fractional anisotropy of different brain parts during the progression of Parkinson's disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, in second place in terms of incidence in the world after Alzheimer's disease. It is currently believed that the presymptomatic stages of Parkinson's disease are mainly associated with degeneration of the subcortical and vegetetive nervous systems, and lesions of the cerebral cortex appear on later stages of the disease, however, it is of interest to study in more detail the involvement of the pathways of the brain in the pathological process in depending the disease progression.
 OBJECTIVE: to study features of damage to the brain pathways during the progression of Parkinson's disease by magnetic resonance tractography.
 MATERIAL AND METHODS: 88 patients with Parkinson's disease were examined (stage II disease — 42 people, stage III — 46 people according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale). The control group consisted of 35 people who did not differ in gender. All patients included in the study underwent a neurological examination, as well as magnetic resonance imaging of the brain with diffusion tensor imaging.
 RESULTS: We found that with increasing stage of Parkinson's disease, there was a significant increase in fractional anisotropy in the hippocampus, insular cortex, and inferior and superior temporal sulcus cortex in patients with Parkinson's disease; we also noted a significant decrease in putamen fractional anisotropy.
 CONCLUSION: the tractography study of the brain pathways during disease progression is a promising method that allows us to clarify in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, including the role of extra-nigral pathology in the development of some non-motor disorders.