Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Gattermeyer, L.
White matter lesions in Parkinson’s disease
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medical University of Graz; 2021. pp. 160
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Franthal Sebastian Othmar
- Schwingenschuh Petra
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Objective First, to review the existing evidence for an association of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) with clinical parameters and markers of disease progression in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Second, to compare WMH volumes between PD patients and healthy controls (HC) and to investigate correlations of WMH volumes with clinical parameters in PD patients. Methods For part one of this thesis, a systematic PUBMED search was performed to identify relevant studies reporting on WMH in PD patients. For part two, 141 PD patients from the prospective, longitudinal registry on movement disorders in Graz (PROMOVE) and 141 age- and sex-matched healthy controls from the Austrian Stroke Prevention Family Study cohort were included in a cross-sectional study. All participants underwent cerebral 3.0 T MRI comprising FLAIR sequences. WMH volumes were determined using a semi-automated, threshold-based technique and results were compared between PD patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, extensive clinical assessment was performed in all PD patients, including MDS-UPDRS, Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the CERAD neuropsychological test battery. Results The current literature reporting on WMH in PD patients reveals overall rather heterogenous results, although there are some consistent findings like a cognitive decline with increasing WMH burden. In this present cross-sectional study, neither total, deep or periventricular WMH volume differed significantly between PD patients and controls. There were no significant differences in WMH volumes between females and males in inter- and intragroup comparisons, either. Total, deep and periventricular WMH correlated significantly negatively with MMSE score, CERAD-TS1, CERAD-TS2 and CERAD memory score in PD patients and positively with age in both groups. MDS-UPDRS total and sub-scores, NMS, GDS, disease duration, Hoehn and Yahr stage and levodopa equivalent dose did not correlate significantly with any WMH volume in PD patients. Conclusion White matter hyperintensity volumes do not differ between PD patients and healthy controls, irrespective of sex. WMH burden increases with higher age both in PD patients and healthy controls. Moreover, total, deep and periventricular WMH volume correlate with cognitive dysfunction. In order to expose a possible effect of WMH on motor or other non-motor symptoms, future studies in PD patients should focus on possible relations between WMH and more specific motor and non-motor items rather than global scores of impairment.