title: Neuronal loss in the medial cholinergic pathway from the nucleus basalis of Meynert in patients with traumatic axonal injury: a preliminary diffusion tensor imaging study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The recent development of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allows visualization and estimation of the medial cholinergic pathway (MCP), which originates from the nucleus basalis of Meynert and provides cortical cholinergic innervation to the cerebral cortex. We investigated the injury to the MCP in patients with traumatic axonal injury (TAI), using DTI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients with chronic TAI and 14 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain (FMRIB) Software Library (FMRIB analysis group, Oxford University, United Kingdom), diffusion tensor images were acquired by using a sensitivity-encoding head coil at 1.5 T DTIs. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and tract volume of the MCP were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The FA value and tract volume were significantly decreased in the group with TAI compared with those of the control group (P < .05); in contrast, there was no difference in the MD value between the 2 groups (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in DTI parameters of the TAI group appear to be due to neuronal loss of the MCP. We believe that DTI would be useful for the evaluation of the MCP in patients with TAI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Sun Moon University, Asan-si, Chungnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Oh Lyong
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Woo Mok
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Cheol Pyo
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Dong Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056347:Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D000109:Acetylcholine