title: Parahippocampal gray matter alterations in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 identified by voxel based morphometry.
abstract: Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 (SCA2) is a genetic disorder causing cerebellar degeneration that result in motor and cognitive alterations. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses have found neurodegenerative patterns associated to SCA2, but they show some discrepancies. Moreover, behavioral deficits related to non-cerebellar functions are scarcely discussed in those reports. In this work we use behavioral and cognitive tests and VBM to identify and confirm cognitive and gray matter alterations in SCA2 patients compared with control subjects. Also, we discuss the cerebellar and non-cerebellar functions affected by this disease. Our results confirmed gray matter reduction in the cerebellar vermis, pons, and insular, frontal, parietal and temporal cortices. However, our analysis also found unreported loss of gray matter in the parahippocampal gyrus bilaterally. Motor performance test ratings correlated with total gray and white matter reductions, but executive performance and clinical features such as CAG repetitions and disease progression did not show any correlation. This pattern of cerebellar and non-cerebellar morphological alterations associated with SCA2 has to be considered to fully understand the motor and non-motor deficits that include language production and comprehension and some social skill changes that occur in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neuropsicología, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Roberto E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mercadillo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Galvez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neuropsicología, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rosalinda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neuropsicología, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos Roberto
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Hernández-Castillo
authors.affiliation: Unidad Periférica de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "Manuel Velasco Suarez", Mexico.
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campos-Romo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigaciones Clínicas en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "Manuel Velasco Suarez", Mexico.
authors.forename: Marie-Catherine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Boll
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Resonancia Magnética, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Erick H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Pasaye
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neuropsicología, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico; Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. Electronic address: jfr@unam.mx.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Parahippocampal gyrus; SARA; Spinocerebellar ataxia; Voxel-based morphometry