Year: 2018
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The pathological bases for the cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms in normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) have not been elucidated. However, the symptoms may indicate dysfunction of subcortical regions. Previously, volume reductions of subcortical deep grey matter (SDGM) structures have been observed in NPH patients. The present study used automated segmentation methods to investigate whether SDGM structure volumes are associated with cognitive and neuropsychiatric measures. METHODS: Fourteen NPH patients and eight healthy controls were included in the study. Patients completed neuropsychological tests of general cognition, verbal learning and memory, verbal fluency and measures of apathy and depression pre- and postshunt surgery. Additionally, patients underwent 3 Tesla T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and 6 months postoperatively. Controls were scanned once. SDGM structure volumes were estimated using automated segmentation (FSL FIRST). Since displacement of the caudate nuclei occurred for some patients due to ventriculomegaly, patient caudate volumes were also estimated using manual tracing. Group differences in SDGM structure volumes were investigated, as well as associations between volumes and cognitive and neuropsychiatric measures in patients. RESULTS: Volumes of the caudate, thalamus, putamen, pallidum, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) were significantly reduced in the NPH patients compared to controls. In the NPH group, smaller caudate and NAcc volumes were associated with poorer performance on neuropsychological tests and increased severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms, while reduced volume of the pallidum was associated with better performance on the MMSE and reduced apathy. CONCLUSIONS: Striatal volume loss appears to be associated with cognitive and neuropsychiatric changes in NPH.
Source: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
DOI: 10.1111/ane.13052
Institutions: University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,490
Funders: Wellcome Trust, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Royal College of Surgeons of England, University of Cambridge, University of London, Cambridge University Hospitals, National Institutes of Health, Medical Research Council, Darwin College, University of Cambridge, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Office of Research on Women's Health, Eton College
OpenAlex ID: W2900899797