BACKGROUND: The pathologic substrates of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are difficult to predict in vivo. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether different pathologic substrates of FTD have distinct patterns of regional atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). DESIGN: Retrospective case study. SETTING: The Institute of Neurology, University College London, and the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. Patients Twenty-one cases of FTD selected on pathologic grounds (9 with ubiquitin-positive [tau- and alpha-synuclein-negative] inclusions [FTD-U], 7 with Pick disease [PiD], and 5 with familial FTD with tau exon 10+16 mutations [tau exon 10+16]) and 20 healthy controls were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patterns of gray matter atrophy in each group as assessed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and a blinded visual assessment of each MRI study. RESULTS: All pathologic substrates were associated with atrophy that involved the inferior and medial temporal and inferior frontal lobes. Additionally, specific VBM signatures were identified for each subgroup: FTD-U was associated with asymmetric (left > right) temporal lobe atrophy, PiD was associated with severe dorsolateral bifrontal atrophy, and tau exon 10+16 was associated with asymmetric (right > left) medial temporal lobe atrophy. The VBM findings were supported by blinded visual assessment. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that MRI patterns of regional gray matter atrophy constitute signatures of tissue pathology in FTD.
BACKGROUND: The pathologic substrates of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are difficult to predict in vivo. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether different pathologic substrates of FTD have distinct patterns of regional atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). DESIGN: Retrospective case study. SETTING: The Institute of Neurology, University College London, and the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. Patients Twenty-one cases of FTD selected on pathologic grounds (9 with ubiquitin-positive [tau- and alpha-synuclein-negative] inclusions [FTD-U], 7 with Pick disease [PiD], and 5 with familial FTD with tau exon 10+16 mutations [tau exon 10+16]) and 20 healthy controls were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patterns of gray matter atrophy in each group as assessed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and a blinded visual assessment of each MRI study. RESULTS: All pathologic substrates were associated with atrophy that involved the inferior and medial temporal and inferior frontal lobes. Additionally, specific VBM signatures were identified for each subgroup: FTD-U was associated with asymmetric (left > right) temporal lobe atrophy, PiD was associated with severe dorsolateral bifrontal atrophy, and tau exon 10+16 was associated with asymmetric (right > left) medial temporal lobe atrophy. The VBM findings were supported by blinded visual assessment. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that MRI patterns of regional gray matter atrophy constitute signatures of tissue pathology in FTD.
Authors: J L Whitwell; C R Jack; B F Boeve; J E Parisi; J E Ahlskog; D A Drubach; M L Senjem; D S Knopman; R C Petersen; D W Dickson; K A Josephs Journal: Neurology Date: 2010-11-23 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: J L Whitwell; C R Jack; B F Boeve; M L Senjem; M Baker; R Rademakers; R J Ivnik; D S Knopman; Z K Wszolek; R C Petersen; K A Josephs Journal: Neurology Date: 2009-03-03 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: T W Chow; F Gao; K A Links; J E Ween; D F Tang-Wai; J Ramirez; C J M Scott; M Freedman; D T Stuss; S E Black Journal: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord Date: 2011-05-31 Impact factor: 2.959
Authors: Jennifer L Whitwell; Clifford R Jack; Matthew L Senjem; Joseph E Parisi; Bradley F Boeve; David S Knopman; Dennis W Dickson; Ronald C Petersen; Keith A Josephs Journal: Neurodegener Dis Date: 2009-03-19 Impact factor: 2.977
Authors: J L Whitwell; C R Jack; B F Boeve; M L Senjem; M Baker; R J Ivnik; D S Knopman; Z K Wszolek; R C Petersen; R Rademakers; K A Josephs Journal: Neurology Date: 2009-09-29 Impact factor: 9.910