Longitudinal changes in the inferior cerebellar peduncle and lower limb motor recovery following subcortical infarction
Gang Liu,
Yaomin Guo,
Chao Dang,
Kangqiang Peng,
Shuangquan Tan,
Chuanmiao Xie,
Shihui Xing,
Jinsheng Zeng
Affiliations
Gang Liu
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat–Sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology
Yaomin Guo
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat–Sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology
Chao Dang
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat–Sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology
Kangqiang Peng
Department of Medical Imaging, Sun Yat–Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine
Shuangquan Tan
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat–Sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology
Chuanmiao Xie
Department of Medical Imaging, Sun Yat–Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine
Shihui Xing
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat–Sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology
Jinsheng Zeng
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat–Sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology
Abstract Background The cerebellum receives afferent signals from spinocerebellar pathways regulating lower limb movements. However, the longitudinal changes in the spinocerebellar pathway in the early stage of unilateral supratentorial stroke and their potential clinical significance have received little attention. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging and Fugl-Meyer assessment of lower limb were performed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after onset in 33 patients with acute subcortical infarction involving the supratentorial areas, and in 33 healthy subjects. We evaluated group differences in diffusion metrics in the bilateral inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP) and analyzed the correlation between ICP diffusion metrics and changes to the Fugl-Meyer scores of the affected lower limb within 12 weeks after stroke. Results Significantly decreased fractional anisotropy and increased mean diffusivity were found in the contralesional ICP at week 12 after stroke compared to controls (all P < 0.01) and those at week 1 (all P < 0.05). There were significant fractional anisotropy decreases in the ipsilesional ICP at week 4 (P = 0.008) and week 12 (P = 0.004) compared to controls. Both fractional anisotropy (rs = 0.416, P = 0.025) and mean diffusivity (rs = -0.507, P = 0.005) changes in the contralesional ICP correlated with changes in Fugl-Meyer scores of the affected lower limb in all patients. Conclusions Bilateral ICP degeneration occurs in the early phase of supratentorial stroke, and diffusion metric values of the contralesional ICP are useful indicators of affected lower limb function after supratentorial stroke.
