Open AccessSpinal cord atrophy in early Huntington's disease
Author(s) -
Mühlau Mark,
Engl Christina,
Boucard Christine C.,
Schmidt Paul,
Biberacher Viola,
Görsch Isabel,
Sorg Christian,
Wohlschläger Afra,
Zimmer Claus,
Hemmer Bernhard,
Weindl Adolph
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
annals of clinical and translational neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.824
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2328-9503
DOI - 10.1002/acn3.52
Subject(s) - medicine , atrophy , spinal cord , huntington's disease , cohort , cord , magnetic resonance imaging , disease , degenerative disease , pathology , central nervous system disease , surgery , radiology , psychiatry
Despite evidence for spinal cord involvement, it remains unclear whether spinal cord atrophy exists in early Huntington's disease. We studied magnetic resonance images, covering both brain and upper cervical cord, in two cohorts of Huntington's patients and in one cohort of Alzheimer's patients. All cohorts included healthy controls comparable with regard to age and gender. We found significant spinal cord atrophy in both cohorts of Huntington's patients but not in the cohort of Alzheimer's patients. Furthermore, spinal cord atrophy correlated with motor symptoms indicating that spinal cord atrophy occurs in the clinical stages and does not result from abnormal development.