Exploring prognostic brain biomarkers for cervical myelopathy: A resting-state functional MRI multicenter study

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09029
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Takenaka Shota 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (40795861)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 海渡 貴司 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 講師 (70623982) ; 寒 重之 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 特任助教(常勤) (20531867) ; 吉川 秀樹 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 理事・副学長 (60191558)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 安静時functional MRI / 圧迫性頚髄症 / 脳機能的変化 / バイオマーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cervical MRI is the standard diagnostic imaging technique for patients with cervical myelopathy (CM). However, the utility of conventional cervical MRI as a predictive biomarker for surgical recovery remains unclear. Recently, resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), which enables visualization of brain functional connectivity (FC) in the absence of tasks, has attracted attention in various fields, including neurodegenerative diseases. Twenty-eight patients with CM and 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent rs-fMRI (twice for CM patients, before and six months after surgery). FC based on a seed to-voxel analysis and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation analysis were performed. We explored preliminary biomarker study using these methods. Our findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the possibility of novel predictive measures for neurological recovery in CM using rs-fMRI.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

四肢の麻痺を呈する圧迫性頚髄症に対して手術の効果の予測（術後に改善を期待できるか）は現状では術者の経験に依存している部分が多い．特に発症からの期間が長い患者や麻痺の程度が強い患者については予測が難しい．今回の結果を用いると，術前の安静時脳functional MRIを解析することによって手指の麻痺の程度を表す10秒テスト（10秒間で何回グーパーができるか）の改善程度を予測できる可能性が示された．これにより患者は手術を受けるかどうかの客観的評価を術前に得られる可能性がある．今後は他の施設でも一般化できるか（外的妥当性）の検証が必要と考える．