title: Comparison of grey matter atrophy between patients with neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis: a voxel-based morphometry study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have established regional grey matter (GM) loss in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, whether there is any regional GM atrophy in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and the difference between NMO and MS is unclear. The present study addresses this issue by voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and T1-weighted three-dimensional MRI were obtained from 26 NMO patients, 26 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, and 26 normal controls. An analysis of covariance model assessed with cluster size inference was used to compare GM volume among three groups. The correlations of GM volume changes with disease duration, expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and brain T2 lesion volume (LV) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GM atrophy was found in NMO patients in several regions of frontal, temporal, parietal lobes and insula (uncorrected, p < 0.001). While extensive GM atrophy was found in RRMS patients, including most cortical regions and the deep grey matter (corrected for multiple comparisons, p < 0.01). Compared with NMO, those with RRMS had significant GM loss in bilateral thalami, caudate, left parahippocampal gyrus, right hippocampus and insula (corrected, p < 0.01). In RRMS group, regional GM loss in right caudate and bilateral thalami were strongly correlated with brain T2LV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study found the difference of GM atrophy between NMO and RRMS patients mainly in deep grey matter. The correlational results suggested axonal degeneration from lesions on T2WI may be a key pathogenesis of atrophy in deep grey matter in RRMS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, PR China.
authors.forename: Yunyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Yaou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peipeng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiuqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Chunshui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhangyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Kuncheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity