Alterations of diffusion kurtosis measures in gait-related white matter in the "ON-OFF state" of Parkinson's disease.
10.1097/CM9.0000000000003486
- Author:
Xuan WEI
1
;
Shiya WANG
2
;
Mingkai ZHANG
2
;
Ying YAN
1
;
Zheng WANG
1
;
Wei WEI
3
;
Houzhen TUO
2
;
Zhenchang WANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
2. Department of Neurology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
3. Division of Science and Technology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Diffusion kurtosis imaging;
Gait impairment;
ON/OFF state;
Parkinson’s disease;
Quantitative gait;
White matter
- MeSH:
Humans;
Parkinson Disease/diagnostic imaging*;
White Matter/physiopathology*;
Male;
Female;
Middle Aged;
Aged;
Gait/physiology*;
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods*;
Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods*
- From:
Chinese Medical Journal
2025;138(9):1094-1102
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:Gait impairment is closely related to quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to explore alterations in brain microstructure in PD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and to identify the correlation of gait impairment in the ON and OFF states of patients with PD, respectively.
METHODS:We enrolled 24 PD patients and 29 HCs from the Movement Disorders Program at Beijing Friendship Hospital Capital Medical University between 2019 and 2020. We acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and processed the diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) images. Preprocessing of diffusion-weighted data was performed with Mrtrix3 software, using a directional distribution function to track participants' main white matter fiber bundles. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Quantitative gait and clinical scales were used to assess the status of medication ON and OFF in PD patients.
RESULTS:The axial kurtosis (AK), mean kurtosis (MK), and radial kurtosis (RK) of five specific white matter fiber tracts, the bilateral corticospinal tract, left superior longitudinal fasciculus, left anterior thalamic radiation, forceps minor, and forceps major were significantly higher in PD patients compared to HCs. Additionally, the MK values were negatively correlated with Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) scores in both the ON and OFF in PD patients. Within the PD group, higher AK, MK, and RK values, whether the patients were ON or OFF, were associated with better gait performance (i.e., higher velocity and stride length).
CONCLUSIONS:PD exhibits characteristic regional patterns of white matter microstructural degradation. Correlations between objective gait parameters and DKI values suggest that dopamine-responsive gait function depends on preserved white matter microstructure. DKI-based Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) analysis may serve as a tool for evaluating PD-related motor impairments (e.g., gait impairment) and could yield potential neuroimaging biomarkers.
