Impact of cerebellar atrophy on cortical gray matter and cerebellar peduncles as assessed by voxel-based morphometry and high angular resolution diffusion imaging

Dayan M., Olivito G., Molinari M., Cercignani M., Bozzali M., Leggio M.,Functional Neurology 2016; 31(3)

Structural and dMRI data of seven patients with cerebellar atrophy (2 with spinocerebellar atrophy type 2, 1 with Friedreich’s ataxia, 4 with idiopathic cerebellar ataxia) and no visible cortical lesions or cortical atrophy were investigated with Freesurfer and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) of gray matter (GM) as well as MCP and SCP FA maps. The significant difference in the MCP and SCP dMRI metrics between patients and controls as well as the significant correlation with ataxia total score and subscores support the use of dMRI metrics as an imaging biomarker for cerebellar degeneration and ataxia.