title: Association between structural and functional corticospinal involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis assessed by diffusion tensor MRI and triple stimulation technique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the functional and structural integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and the triple stimulation technique (TST) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients with ALS, 13 healthy controls (HCs), and 6 patients with lower motor neuron (LMN) syndrome underwent DTI and TST.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean diffusivity was higher in ALS patients than HCs (P < 0.01). The TST ratio was lower in ALS patients compared with HCs (P < 0.001) and in LMN patients compared with HCs (P < 0.05). The increase in the mean diffusivity was correlated with the decrease in the TST ratio (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant correlations exist between the DTI and TST results, indicating both structural and functional involvement of the CST in patients with ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases, CHU La Timone, 264 rue Saint-Pierre, 13385, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Aude-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grapperon
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verschueren
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duclos
authors.forename: Sylviane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Confort-Gouny
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soulier
authors.forename: Anderson D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Loundou
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guye
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cozzone
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pouget
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ranjeva
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Attarian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; brain MRI; diffusion tensor imaging; transcranial magnetic stimulation; triple stimulation technique