Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most debilitating and recurrent mental illnesses globally. It is characterised by frequent mood swings, both high and low, and the behavioural, motivational, and cognitive changes that go along with them. In recent years, studies using diffusio...

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Main Authors: Rania Abou khadrah, Ashraf Mohammed Elaggan, Sara Essam Hasby
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-07-01
Series:The Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43055-025-01524-y
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author Rania Abou khadrah
Ashraf Mohammed Elaggan
Sara Essam Hasby
author_facet Rania Abou khadrah
Ashraf Mohammed Elaggan
Sara Essam Hasby
author_sort Rania Abou khadrah
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most debilitating and recurrent mental illnesses globally. It is characterised by frequent mood swings, both high and low, and the behavioural, motivational, and cognitive changes that go along with them. In recent years, studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have brought attention to the crucial part white matter (WM) abnormalities play in BD. The aim of this study was to evaluate white matter integrity using DTI in children with Type I BD, comparing findings with a healthy control group. Results Children with Type I BD exhibited significantly lower FA values across multiple white matter tracts, including the anterior and posterior corona radiata (ACR,PCR), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi (SLF,ILF), cingulum (CING), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), fornix, corpus callosum (CC), and internal capsule (PLIC,ALIC) (P < 0.001). The bipolar group also showed greater mean diffusivity than healthy individuals; statistically significant differences at ACR, PCR, SCR, SLF, ILF, CING, ATR, fornix, CC, ALIC and PLIC; (P value < 0.001). Additionally, the patient group’s Radial Diffusivity (RD) was noticeably higher than the control group’s at ACR, PCR, SCR, SLF, ILF, CING, ATR, fornix and CC (P value < 0.001), and was insignificantly different at ALIC and PLIC.Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) was significantly higher at patient group, this difference reached statistical significance in the ACR, PCR, SLF, ATR, CC, ALIC, and PLIC (P value < 0.05) and was insignificantly different at ILF, CING, SCR, fornix and PCR between both groups. Conclusion Combining FA, MD, and RD parameters provided a comprehensive assessment of microstructural white matter changes in pediatric Type I BD, demonstrating DTI’s potential as a diagnostic tool.
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spelling doaj-art-9237bf423e094f7f95be5bac3f660aa32025-08-20T03:42:48ZengSpringerOpenThe Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine2090-47622025-07-0156111110.1186/s43055-025-01524-yPsychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studyRania Abou khadrah0Ashraf Mohammed Elaggan1Sara Essam Hasby2Tanta UniversityTanta UniversityTanta UniversityAbstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most debilitating and recurrent mental illnesses globally. It is characterised by frequent mood swings, both high and low, and the behavioural, motivational, and cognitive changes that go along with them. In recent years, studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have brought attention to the crucial part white matter (WM) abnormalities play in BD. The aim of this study was to evaluate white matter integrity using DTI in children with Type I BD, comparing findings with a healthy control group. Results Children with Type I BD exhibited significantly lower FA values across multiple white matter tracts, including the anterior and posterior corona radiata (ACR,PCR), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi (SLF,ILF), cingulum (CING), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), fornix, corpus callosum (CC), and internal capsule (PLIC,ALIC) (P < 0.001). The bipolar group also showed greater mean diffusivity than healthy individuals; statistically significant differences at ACR, PCR, SCR, SLF, ILF, CING, ATR, fornix, CC, ALIC and PLIC; (P value < 0.001). Additionally, the patient group’s Radial Diffusivity (RD) was noticeably higher than the control group’s at ACR, PCR, SCR, SLF, ILF, CING, ATR, fornix and CC (P value < 0.001), and was insignificantly different at ALIC and PLIC.Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) was significantly higher at patient group, this difference reached statistical significance in the ACR, PCR, SLF, ATR, CC, ALIC, and PLIC (P value < 0.05) and was insignificantly different at ILF, CING, SCR, fornix and PCR between both groups. Conclusion Combining FA, MD, and RD parameters provided a comprehensive assessment of microstructural white matter changes in pediatric Type I BD, demonstrating DTI’s potential as a diagnostic tool.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43055-025-01524-yBipolar childrenDTI diffusion tensor tractographyMD mean diffusivity
spellingShingle Rania Abou khadrah
Ashraf Mohammed Elaggan
Sara Essam Hasby
Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study
The Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
Bipolar children
DTI diffusion tensor tractography
MD mean diffusivity
title Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study
title_full Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study
title_fullStr Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study
title_full_unstemmed Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study
title_short Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study
title_sort psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric type i bipolar disorder a diffusion tensor imaging dti study
topic Bipolar children
DTI diffusion tensor tractography
MD mean diffusivity
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43055-025-01524-y
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