RESUMEN

The corticoreticular pathway (CRP) is a major motor tract that transmits cortical input to the reticular formation motor nuclei and may be an important mediator of motor recovery after central nervous system damage. However, its cortical origins, trajectory and laterality are incompletely understood in humans. This study aimed to map the human CRP and generate an average CRP template in standard MRI space. Following recently established guidelines, we manually delineated the primary reticular formation motor nucleus (gigantocellular reticular nucleus [GRN]) using several group-mean MRI contrasts from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). CRP tractography was then performed with HCP diffusion-weighted MRI data (N = 1065) by selecting diffusion streamlines that reached both the cortex and GRN. Corticospinal tract (CST) tractography was also performed for comparison. Results suggest that the human CRP has widespread origins, which overlap with the CST across most of the motor cortex and include additional exclusive inputs from the medial and anterior prefrontal cortices. The estimated CRP projected through the anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule before partially decussating in the midbrain tegmentum and converging bilaterally on the pontomedullary reticular formation. Thus, the CRP trajectory appears to partially overlap the CST, while being more distributed and anteromedial to the CST in the cerebrum before moving posterior to the CST in the brainstem. These findings have important implications for neurophysiologic testing, cortical stimulation and movement recovery after brain lesions. We expect that our GRN and tract maps will also facilitate future CRP research.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The corticoreticular pathway (CRP) has been implicated as an important mediator of motor recovery and rehabilitation after central nervous system damage. However, its origins, trajectory and laterality are not well understood. This study mapped the mouse CRP in comparison with the corticospinal tract (CST). We systematically searched the Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas (© 2011 Allen Institute for Brain Science) for experiments that used anterograde tracer injections into the right isocortex in mice. For each eligible experiment (N = 607), CRP and CST projection strength were quantified by the tracer volume reaching the reticular formation motor nuclei (RFmotor ) and pyramids, respectively. Tracer density in each brain voxel was also correlated with RFmotor versus pyramids projection strength to explore the relative trajectories of the CRP and CST. We found significant CRP projections originating from the primary and secondary motor cortices, anterior cingulate, primary somatosensory cortex, and medial prefrontal cortex. Compared with the CST, the CRP had stronger projections from each region except the primary somatosensory cortex. Ipsilateral projections were stronger than contralateral for both tracts (above the pyramidal decussation), but the CRP projected more bilaterally than the CST. The estimated CRP trajectory was anteromedial to the CST in the internal capsule and dorsal to the CST in the brainstem. Our findings reveal a widespread distribution of CRP origins and confirm strong bilateral CRP projections, theoretically increasing the potential for partial sparing after brain lesions and contralesional compensation after unilateral injury.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects the pyramidal motor system. However, recent studies have suggested that degeneration of the extramotor system plays a role in the disability experienced by patients with ALS. We investigated the local shape changes and mean volumes of the subcortical nuclei in sporadic ALS patients with preserved cognition. METHODS: The participants comprised 32 patients with ALS and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Three-dimensional T1-weighted structural images were acquired. Surface-based vertex analysis was performed with fully automated segmentation of both amygdalae, hippocampi, caudate nuclei, nuclei accumbens, putamina, pallida, and thalami, and the brainstem. The scalar distances from the mean surfaces of the individual subcortical nuclei were compared between groups, and correlations of the local shape distances with initial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale Revised (ALS-FRS-R) scores and the delta FRS-R and with the disease duration were analyzed. RESULTS: ALS patients showed regional shape contractions on the lateral surfaces of both pallida, the lateroposterior surface of the right putamen, and the anterior basal surface of the right accumbens. Delta FRS-R scores were negatively correlated with local shape distances in the right hippocampus and the putamina. However, the initial ALS-FRS-R score and disease duration were not correlated with local shape distances. CONCLUSIONS: Subcortical gray-matter structures are involved in the neurodegenerative process of ALS before cognitive impairment becomes evident.

RESUMEN

Objective: To explore the microstructural damage of extrapyramidal system gray matter nuclei in Parkinson disease (PD) using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 35 clinically confirmed PD patients and 23 healthy volunteers. All patients underwent MR examination with conventional MRI scan sequences and an additional DKI sequence. We subsequently reconstructed the DKI raw images and analyzed the data. A radiologist in our hospital collected the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of all subjects. Results: In the PD group, the mean kurtosis and axial kurtosis level decreased in the red nucleus (RN) and thalamus; the radial kurtosis increased in the substantia nigra (SN) and globus pallidus (GP). Fractional anisotropy decreased in the putamen. The largest area under the ROC curve of mean diffusion in GP was 0.811. Most kurtosis parameters demonstrated a positive correlation with the MMSE score, while several diffusion parameters showed a negative correlation with the same. Conclusion: DKI can qualitatively distinguish PD from healthy controls; furthermore, DKI-derived parameters can quantitatively evaluate the modifications of microstructures in extrapyramidal system gray matter nucleus in PD.

RESUMEN

Background and Purpose- Tractography by diffusion tensor imaging has extended our knowledge on the contribution of damage to different pathways to residual motor function after stroke. Integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST), for example, has been identified to characterize and predict its course. Yet there is only scarce data that allow a judgment on the impact of extrapyramidal pathways between the basal ganglia on motor function poststroke. We aimed at studying their association with performance in fine motor skills after stroke. Methods- We performed probabilistic tractography and reconstructed nigro-pallidal tracts connecting substantia nigra and globus pallidus, as well as the CST in 26 healthy subjects. Resulting tracts were registered to the individual images of 20 patients 3 months after stroke, and their microstructural integrity was measured by fractional anisotropy. Clinical examination of the patients' gross (grip force) and fine (nine-hole peg test) motor skills was performed 1 year after stroke. For assessment of factors influencing nine-hole peg test, we used a multivariate model. Results- Nigro-pallidal tracts were traceable in all participants, had no overlap to the CST and passed the nucleus subthalamicus. In stroke patients, nigro-pallidal tracts ipsilateral to the stroke lesion showed a significantly reduced fractional anisotropy (ratio, 0.96±0.02; P=0.021). One year after stroke, nine-hole peg test values were significantly slower for the affected hand, while grip force was comparable between both hands. Reduced integrity of the nigro-pallidal tracts was associated with worse performance in the nine-hole peg test ( P=0.040), as was reduced integrity of the CST ( P<0.001) and younger age ( P<0.001). Conclusions- Nigro-pallidal tracts with containing connections of the nucleus subthalamicus represent a relevant part of the extrapyramidal system and specifically contribute to residual fine motor skills after stroke beyond the well-known contribution of the CST. They may deliver supportive information for prediction of motor recovery after stroke.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

La cocaína es una de las drogas de abuso más usadas en el mundo y se relaciona con la aparición de eventos isquémicos y hemorrágicos en el sistema nervioso central y cardiovascular. Esto se debe a diversos factores tales como: vasoespasmo, vasculitis cerebral, incremento de la agregación plaquetaria, cardioembolismo y urgencias hipertensivas asociadas con la alteración de la autorregulación cerebral. Se describe el caso de un paciente que ingresa a la Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana con un cuadro de intoxicación aguda por cocaína y heroína aspiradas. Presentó infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST en las derivaciones V1, V2 y V3, aumento de troponinas, hipomagnesemia, hipercalemia, hipocalcemia, acidosis mixta, neumonía aspirativa, depresión del estado de conciencia con respiración superficial, cianosis y síndrome de abstinencia, que se manejó con haloperidol en unidad de Cuidados intensivos. Posteriormente, el paciente presentó un cuadro de extrapiramidalismo secundario a este tratamiento, por ello se inicia desmonte del haloperidol y se administra biperideno y bromocriptina sin remisión total de los síntomas. Finalmente, se evidenció, por resonancia magnética nuclear, isquemia de ganglios basales. El objetivo de este reporte es describir las manifestaciones clínicas presentadas por el paciente asociadas con el consumo atípico de estas dos drogas, así como hacer una aproximación al manejo terapéutico de esta patología.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

OBJETIVO: A presença de síndromes psiquiátricas, incluindo demência, associada a distúrbios motores tem sido cada vez mais reconhecida durante a última década, com destaque para o prejuízo cognitivo na doença de Parkinson idiopática. Esta revisão enfocará a epidemiologia, os aspectos clínicos, diagnósticos diferenciais, mecanismos subjacentes e o tratamento da demência na doença de Parkinson idiopática. MÉTODO: Uma revisão da literatura dos estudos que investigaram a demência da doença de Parkinson idiopática foi realizada. RESULTADOS: A demência é altamente prevalente na doença de Parkinson idiopática. O protótipo da demência na doença de Parkinson idiopática consiste numa síndrome disexecutiva com comprometimento da atenção, funções executivas e, secundariamente, a memória. Neuroquimicamente, o déficit mais significativo parece ser colinérgico; a demência se correlaciona com a presença de corpos de Lewy corticais e límbicos. Evidências preliminares sugerem que os anticolinesterásicos podem ser efetivos na demência da doença de Parkinson idiopática. CONCLUSÕES: O prejuízo cognitivo na doença de Parkinson idiopática é associado a características próprias e é responsável por importante incapacidade nestes pacientes.

OBJECTIVE: The concomitant presence of psychiatric syndromes, including dementia, with motor disturbance has been increasingly recognized during the last decade, with emphasis on cognitive impairment in idiopatic Parkinson's disease. This review will focus on the epidemiology, clinical aspects, differential diagnosis, underlying mechanisms and treatment of dementia in Parkinson's disease. METHOD: A literature review of the studies that investigated the dementia in Parkinson's disease was performed. RESULTS: Dementia is highly prevalent in Parkinson's disease. The prototype of dementia in Parkinson's disease is a dysexecutive syndrome with impaired attention, executive functions and secondarily impaired memory. Neurochemically the most significant deficit seems to be cholinergic; dementia seems to correlate best with cortical and limbic Lewy bodies. Preliminary evidence suggests that cholinesterase inhibitors may be effective in Parkinson's disease dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease is associated to specific features and is responsible for substantial disability in these patients.

Asunto(s)