Letter: Tissue atrophy and elevated iron concentration in the extrapyramidal motor system in Friedreich ataxia: the IMAGE-FRDA study

Ian H Harding, Parnesh Raniga, Martin B Delatycki, Monique R Stagnitti, Louise A Corben, Elsdon Storey, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis, Gary F Egan. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry doi:10.1136/jnnp-2015-312665 Published Online First: 24 March 2016

In the brain, accumulation or redistribution of iron within, and atrophy of, the cerebellar dentate nuclei have been reported.1–3 The dentate nuclei are iron-laden structures pivotal to movement coordination. However, basal ganglia and midbrain structures also have high iron content, express high levels of frataxin, and play key roles in motor regulation. Furthermore, the dentate nuclei directly innervate the thalamus and red nuclei, and indirectly project to the striatum. This biology motivates the hypothesis that iron-related pathology and/or degeneration within these extrapyramidal stations may also feature in FRDA.

Letter: Tissue atrophy and elevated iron concentration in the extrapyramidal motor system in Friedreich ataxia: the IMAGE-FRDA study