title: Magnetic resonance imaging evidence of decreased putamenal iron content in idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the changes in basal ganglia iron content associated with various stages of idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective magnetic resonance imaging study using a 2-T magnet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulatory care referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients suffering from levodopa-responsive Parkinson's disease and 45 age-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The T2 relaxation time calculated in various regions of the basal ganglia, the duration of Parkinson's disease, and the age of subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with Parkinson's disease exhibited significantly decreased T2 relaxation time in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra compared with controls (P < .01), regardless of disease duration. Patients with a duration of illness above 10 years (n = 12) exhibited significantly increased T2 relaxation time in the anterior and posterior putamen (P < .005 and P < .01, respectively) and in the pallidum (P < .05) compared with age-matched controls. Putamental T2 relaxation time positively correlated with disease duration (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that more complex brain iron changes than those previously reported are associated with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, including increased nigral iron content and decreased putamenal and pallidal iron concentration in patients with a duration of illness above 10 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hôpital Neurologique, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ryvlin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Broussolle
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Piollet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viallet
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Khalfallah
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chazot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011699:Putamen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007501:Iron