Structural brain alterations of Down's syndrome in early childhood evaluation by DTI and volumetric analyses
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2017Author
Günbey, Hediye PınarBilgici, Meltem Ceyhan
Aslan, Kerim
Has, Arzu Ceylan
Oğur, Methiye Gönül
Alhan, Aslıhan
İncesu, Lütfi
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Gunbey, H. P., Bilgici, M. C., Aslan, K., Has, A. C., Ogur, M. G., Alhan, A., & Incesu, L. (2017). Structural brain alterations of Down’s syndrome in early childhood evaluation by DTI and volumetric analyses. European Radiology, 27(7), 3013–3021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4626-6Abstract
To provide an initial assessment of white matter (WM) integrity with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and the accompanying volumetric changes in WM and grey matter (GM) through volumetric analyses of young children with Down's syndrome (DS). Ten children with DS and eight healthy control subjects were included in the study. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used in the DTI study for whole-brain voxelwise analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of WM. Volumetric analyses were performed with an automated segmentation method to obtain regional measurements of cortical volumes. Children with DS showed significantly reduced FA in association tracts of the fronto-temporo-occipital regions as well as the corpus callosum (CC) and anterior limb of the internal capsule (p < 0.05). Volumetric reductions included total cortical GM, cerebellar GM and WM volume, basal ganglia, thalamus, brainstem and CC in DS compared with controls (p < 0.05). These preliminary results suggest that DTI and volumetric analyses may reflect the earliest complementary changes of the neurodevelopmental delay in children with DS and can serve as surrogate biomarkers of the specific elements of WM and GM integrity for cognitive development. aEuro cent DS is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability. aEuro cent WM and GM structural alterations represent the neurological features of DS. aEuro cent DTI may identify the earliest aging process changes. aEuro cent DTI-volumetric analyses can serve as surrogate biomarkers of neurodevelopment in DS.