Veronika Nemcova1, Jan Krasensky2, David Kemlink3, Pavel Petrovicky1, Manuela Vaneckova2, Zdenek Seidl2, Aaron Rulseh4, Jitka Buskova5, Marek Susta3, Karel Sonka3. 1. Department of Anatomy, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine, Czech Republic. 2. Department of Radiology, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic. 3. Department of Neurology and Centre of Clinical Neuroscience, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic. 4. Department of Radiology, Na Homolce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic. 5. National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) and narcolepsy without cataplexy (NwoC) are lifelong neurological disorders characterized primarily by excessive daytime sleepiness. Emotional events such as laughter are a trigger of cataplexy in NC. METHODS: We compared the volumes of key limbic structures, the amygdala and hippocampus, in 53 NC, 23 NwoC and 37 control subjects. MRI volumetry was performed in FreeSurfer (FS) and by manual delineation. RESULTS: We found no differences in amygdalar volume in the three groups, however, hippocampal volume was significantly smaller in the NC group than in other groups. Amygdalar and hippocampal volumes assessed by FS were significantly greater, but strong positive correlation between manual and FS results were observed. Thus, both methods are suitable for amygdalar and hippocampal volumetry.
OBJECTIVE:Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) and narcolepsy without cataplexy (NwoC) are lifelong neurological disorders characterized primarily by excessive daytime sleepiness. Emotional events such as laughter are a trigger of cataplexy in NC. METHODS: We compared the volumes of key limbic structures, the amygdala and hippocampus, in 53 NC, 23 NwoC and 37 control subjects. MRI volumetry was performed in FreeSurfer (FS) and by manual delineation. RESULTS: We found no differences in amygdalar volume in the three groups, however, hippocampal volume was significantly smaller in the NC group than in other groups. Amygdalar and hippocampal volumes assessed by FS were significantly greater, but strong positive correlation between manual and FS results were observed. Thus, both methods are suitable for amygdalar and hippocampal volumetry.