Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression

ABSTRACT Background Neuroimaging has been increasingly used to assess brain structural alterations in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to investigate alterations in brain sub‐cortical structures and to identify potential neuroimaging biomarkers for disease progression for...

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Main Authors: Yanchun Yuan, Yan Fu, Xueying Wang, Fan Hu, Qianqian Zhao, Cailin He, Linxin Tang, Yongchao Li, Yue Bu, Xinyu Song, Qing Liu, Ziqin Liu, Renshi Xu, Wenfeng Cao, Yuanchao Zhang, Xiaoping Yi, Junling Wang, Bihong T. Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Brain and Behavior
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70495
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author Yanchun Yuan
Yan Fu
Xueying Wang
Fan Hu
Qianqian Zhao
Cailin He
Linxin Tang
Yongchao Li
Yue Bu
Xinyu Song
Qing Liu
Ziqin Liu
Renshi Xu
Wenfeng Cao
Yuanchao Zhang
Xiaoping Yi
Junling Wang
Bihong T. Chen
author_facet Yanchun Yuan
Yan Fu
Xueying Wang
Fan Hu
Qianqian Zhao
Cailin He
Linxin Tang
Yongchao Li
Yue Bu
Xinyu Song
Qing Liu
Ziqin Liu
Renshi Xu
Wenfeng Cao
Yuanchao Zhang
Xiaoping Yi
Junling Wang
Bihong T. Chen
author_sort Yanchun Yuan
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background Neuroimaging has been increasingly used to assess brain structural alterations in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to investigate alterations in brain sub‐cortical structures and to identify potential neuroimaging biomarkers for disease progression for patients with ALS. Methods A total of 61 patients with ALS were prospectively enrolled and were divided into three subgroups according to disease progression, i.e., fast, intermediate, and slow progression. Sixty‐one matched healthy controls (HCs) were also recruited. All participants acquired a brain structural magnetic resonance imaging scan for subcortical volumetric and shape analyses. Neuropsychological testing and functional assessment were performed. Results Patients with fast progression showed significant shape alterations in basal ganglia and brainstem as compared to the HCs group. In ALS patients with fast progression, shape contractions with atrophic changes were noted in bilateral nucleus accumbens, left caudate, left thalamus, and brainstem; while shape expansion with hypertrophy was noted in the left caudate, left thalamus, and left pallidum (all p < 0.05). There were significant positive correlations of the shape changes of the left thalamus with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale‐Revised (ALS‐FRS‐R) total and limb scores and with disease duration (all p < 0.05). There were positive correlations of left pallidum with anxiety or with disease duration, and of left nucleus accumbens with ALS‐FRS‐R total or bulbar score, and of brainstem with mini‐mental state examination score (all p < 0.05). Conclusion Extensive shape alterations of subcortical nuclei were noted in patients with fast progression of ALS, implicating subcortical shape being a potential neuroimaging biomarker for ALS progression.
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spelling doaj-art-2e589c962fbc470b8a6d6366143a18a12025-08-20T02:29:19ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792025-05-01155n/an/a10.1002/brb3.70495Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ProgressionYanchun Yuan0Yan Fu1Xueying Wang2Fan Hu3Qianqian Zhao4Cailin He5Linxin Tang6Yongchao Li7Yue Bu8Xinyu Song9Qing Liu10Ziqin Liu11Renshi Xu12Wenfeng Cao13Yuanchao Zhang14Xiaoping Yi15Junling Wang16Bihong T. Chen17Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Department of RadiologyXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaHunanP.R. ChinaDepartment of RadiologyXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaHunanP.R. ChinaXiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and TechnologyUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduSichuanP.R. ChinaDepartment of RadiologyXiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaHunanP.R. ChinaXiangya Hospital Central South University, Jiangxi (National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases) Nanchang Jiangxi P. R. China.Department of Diagnostic RadiologyCity of Hope National Medical CenterDuarteCaliforniaUSAABSTRACT Background Neuroimaging has been increasingly used to assess brain structural alterations in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to investigate alterations in brain sub‐cortical structures and to identify potential neuroimaging biomarkers for disease progression for patients with ALS. Methods A total of 61 patients with ALS were prospectively enrolled and were divided into three subgroups according to disease progression, i.e., fast, intermediate, and slow progression. Sixty‐one matched healthy controls (HCs) were also recruited. All participants acquired a brain structural magnetic resonance imaging scan for subcortical volumetric and shape analyses. Neuropsychological testing and functional assessment were performed. Results Patients with fast progression showed significant shape alterations in basal ganglia and brainstem as compared to the HCs group. In ALS patients with fast progression, shape contractions with atrophic changes were noted in bilateral nucleus accumbens, left caudate, left thalamus, and brainstem; while shape expansion with hypertrophy was noted in the left caudate, left thalamus, and left pallidum (all p < 0.05). There were significant positive correlations of the shape changes of the left thalamus with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale‐Revised (ALS‐FRS‐R) total and limb scores and with disease duration (all p < 0.05). There were positive correlations of left pallidum with anxiety or with disease duration, and of left nucleus accumbens with ALS‐FRS‐R total or bulbar score, and of brainstem with mini‐mental state examination score (all p < 0.05). Conclusion Extensive shape alterations of subcortical nuclei were noted in patients with fast progression of ALS, implicating subcortical shape being a potential neuroimaging biomarker for ALS progression.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70495
spellingShingle Yanchun Yuan
Yan Fu
Xueying Wang
Fan Hu
Qianqian Zhao
Cailin He
Linxin Tang
Yongchao Li
Yue Bu
Xinyu Song
Qing Liu
Ziqin Liu
Renshi Xu
Wenfeng Cao
Yuanchao Zhang
Xiaoping Yi
Junling Wang
Bihong T. Chen
Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression
Brain and Behavior
title Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression
title_full Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression
title_fullStr Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression
title_full_unstemmed Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression
title_short Shape Alterations of Subcortical Nuclei Correlate With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression
title_sort shape alterations of subcortical nuclei correlate with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression
url https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70495
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