Development of an early indicator in multiple system atrophy: brain network analysis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19484
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: HARA Kazuhiro 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (80748369)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 多系統萎縮症 / 認知機能 / 脳内回路解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) show cognitive decline during the course of the illness. However an early diagnostic marker of cognitive decline of MSA remains unclear.We enrolled 30 cases with probable MSA and 15 healthy controls. We classified 15 patients who showed as normal cognition (MSA-NC) and 15 cases who showed as cognitive decline (MSA-CD). All subjects were investigated using brain volume/network analysis.
Results: Patients with MSA-NC and those with MSA-CD showed cerebellar but not cerebral atrophy compared to controls. In contrast, brain network analysis showed widespread abonormal values in both the cerebrum and cerebellum in MSA-CD compared to controls. Particularly, significant decreased fractional anisotrophy (FA) values were observed in the left corpus callosum in MSA-CD as compared to MSA-NC. It were significantly correlated with cognitive butteries. Decreased FA values in the corpus callosum could serve as an early indicator of cognitive decline in MSA.

Free Research Field

神経内科学