npj Parkinson's Disease (Oct 2021)

White matter and nigral alterations in multiple system atrophy-parkinsonian type

  • Takashi Ogawa,
  • Taku Hatano,
  • Koji Kamagata,
  • Christina Andica,
  • Haruka Takeshige-Amano,
  • Wataru Uchida,
  • Daiki Kamiyama,
  • Yasushi Shimo,
  • Genko Oyama,
  • Atsushi Umemura,
  • Hirokazu Iwamuro,
  • Masanobu Ito,
  • Masaaki Hori,
  • Shigeki Aoki,
  • Nobutaka Hattori

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-021-00236-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is classified into two main types: parkinsonian and cerebellar ataxia with oligodendrogliopathy. We examined microstructural alterations in the white matter and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of patients with MSA of parkinsonian type (MSA-P) using multishell diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and myelin sensitive imaging techniques. Age- and sex-matched patients with MSA-P (n = 21, n = 10 first and second cohorts, respectively), Parkinson’s disease patients (n = 19, 17), and healthy controls (n = 20, 24) were enrolled. Magnetization transfer saturation imaging (MT-sat) and dMRI were obtained using 3-T MRI. Measurements obtained from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), free-water elimination DTI, neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), and MT-sat were compared between groups. Tract-based spatial statistics analysis revealed differences in diffuse white matter alterations in the free-water fractional volume, myelin volume fraction, and intracellular volume fraction between the patients with MSA-P and healthy controls, whereas free-water and MT-sat differences were limited to the middle cerebellar peduncle in comparison with those with Parkinson’s disease. Region-of-interest analysis of white matter and SNc revealed significant differences in the middle and inferior cerebellar peduncle, pontine crossing tract, corticospinal tract, and SNc between the MSA-P and healthy controls and/or Parkinson’s disease patients. Our results shed light on alterations to brain microstructure in MSA.