Diffusion tensor imaging and correlations to Parkinson rating scales

The contribution of various brain areas to the overall progression of Parkinson’s disease remains to be determined. In this study, we apply MRI diffusion tensor imaging to investigate how alterations in diffusion relate to phenotype and symptoms measured by clinical rating scales. Sixty-four patients were investigated at baseline and three follow-ups (1, 3 and 5 years). Thirty-six patients remained in the last follow-up. Regions of interests included frontal white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum. Scoring on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) I, II, III, Hoehn and Yahr (HY) scale and the Schwab and England scale (SE) was determined. Mean, radial, and axial diffusion and fractional anisotropy were modeled with phenotype and clinical scales in a multivariate/univariate analysis correcting for other covariates. Significance was set at 0.05 Bonferroni corrected. All rating scales except UPDRS III significantly correlated to the diffusion measures, as did clinical phenotype. Specifically, putamen, globus pallidus, and thalamus demonstrated higher diffusion with worsening scores. Diffusion in thalamus was higher in the tremor dominant phenotype than in postural imbalance and gait disturbance. Decline in overall functionality (UPDRS II and SE scale), including mental status (UPDRS I) and stage of the disease (HY scale), in Parkinson’s disease is related to altered diffusion in the lentiform nucleus and thalamus. Motor function is not mirrored in diffusion changes, possibly due to medication. Tremor dominant PD patients show diffusion alterations in the thalamus, but the significance of this for tremor generation remains to be determined.