title: Diffusion tensor imaging of freezing of gait in patients with white matter changes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Freezing of gait is a common and disabling symptom of parkinsonism. However, the corresponding anatomic structures have yet to be clearly elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed diffusion tensor imaging on 40 subjects with white matter changes. We compared apparent diffusion coefficient values and fraction anisotropy values of 7 candidate anatomic structures between 14 patients with freezing of gait (freezing of gait group) and 26 without freezing of gait (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fraction anisotropy values of the bilateral pedunculopontine nucleus, bilateral superior premotor cortex, right orbitofrontal area, and left supplement motor area were significantly lower in the freezing of gait group than in the control group. In contrast, there were no significant differences in apparent diffusion coefficient values between freezing of gait and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the bilateral pedunculopontine nucleus, bilateral superior premotor cortex, right orbitofrontal area, and left supplement motor area are closely related to freezing of gait.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jinyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.forename: Jin Whan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Won Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gyeong-Moon
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee-Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology