title: Alterations in the gray matter volume in transient ischemic attack: a voxel-based morphometry study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have emphasized that transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients suffered functional impairments, but whether underlying morphological alterations exist remains unclear. This study aims to detect possible gray matter volume (GMV) alterations in patients with TIA using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-resolution T1-weighted anatomical images of 21 patients were compared with 21 healthy controls of matching age, gender, and education. Changes in the GMV were observed using VBM technique, followed by two-sample t-test analysis to detect the differences in the GMV between TIA patients and healthy controls. Correlations between the clinical parameters and the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scores, and the altered GMV in TIAs, were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-sample t-test analysis revealed a significant GMV reduction in specific regions in the default mode network (DMN) in TIA patients, including the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and precuneus. No correlation was found between the reduced GMV and MoCA scores and clinical parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transient ischemic attack patients showed widespread morphology atrophy in DMN, suggesting that, despite the absence of a cerebral infarction, ischemic injury may induce structural abnormalities and eventually contribute to functional impairments in TIA patients. Our results may provide a valuable basis for the pathophysiological mechanism related to the cognitive dysfunction of TIA from the view of brain morphology.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Xujing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qiyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Huafu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Default mode network; Gray matter volume,; Magnetic resonance imaging,; Transient ischemic attack,; Voxel-based morphometry,