title: Secondary damage in left-sided frontal white matter detected by diffusion tensor imaging is correlated with executive dysfunction in patients with acute infarction at the ipsilateral posterior corona radiata.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Executive dysfunction has been observed in patients with left-sided anterior corona radiata infarction. However, whether left-sided posterior corona radiata infarction could cause executive dysfunction is unclear. Also, whether secondary damage in the left frontal white matter following ipsilateral posterior corona radiata infarct is causal or not and contributes to the occurrence and development of executive dysfunction, is still uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients with posterior corona radiata infarction underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and an executive functional assessment at week 1 (W1), week 4 (W4), and week 12 (W12) after onset. Color duplex sonography and Transcranial Duplex Scanning (TCD) were performed at W1 and W12. Twelve healthy volunteers of similar ages and educational histories were examined as controls and assessed once.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patients, we observed an increased mean diffusivity (MD) and a decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left frontal white matter from W1 to W12. There were no significant changes in cerebral blood flow in patients between W1 and W12 according to the result of Color duplex sonography and TCD. Patients showed progressively impaired executive function during 12 weeks. Significant correlations were found between increased MD and decreased FA in the left frontal white matter with impaired degree of executive function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that DTI detected secondary damage in left-sided frontal white matter in patients with acute infarction at the ipsilateral posterior corona radiata. This change may be correlated with executive functional changes in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Guangzhou Number 8 People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 8, Huaying Road, Guangzhou 510440, China. lichuo0529@126.com.
authors.forename: Chuo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zilin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Yusheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Anding
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology