Elucidation of the progression of multiple system atrophy by head MRI

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K07960
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52020:Neurology-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Hara Kazuhiro 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 病院講師 (80748369)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 勝野 雅央 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (50402566) ; 川畑 和也 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 特任助教 (60837409)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 多系統萎縮症 / 頭部MRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, pyramidal signs, and autonomic dysfunction. However, the clinical diagnosis of MSA is challenging, especially in the early stage of the disease. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) techniques usually require group comparisons. So we introduced a novel individual approach called individual VBM with adjusting covariates (iVAC). iVAC enabled us to recognize the morphological characteristics of MSA visually and with high accuracy compared to T2-WI, indicating that iVAC is a potential diagnostic screening tool for MSA.

Free Research Field

神経変性疾患の画像解析

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

多系統萎縮症(MSA)は小脳症状、パーキンソニズム、自律神経障害を呈する神経変性疾患である。通常、MRI所見が早期診断において重要な役割を果たすが感度の低さが指摘されてきた。今回使用した、個別脳容積解析手法であるindividual voxel-based morphometry adjusting covariatesは診断ツールになり得る可能性がある。そのため今後薬剤開発の際に、診断ツールとして有用であると考える。