title: Microstructural white matter tissue characteristics are modulated by homocysteine: a diffusion tensor imaging study.
abstract: Homocysteine level can lead to adverse effects on the brain white matter through endothelial dysfunction, microstructural inflammation, and neurotoxin effects. Despite previously observed associations between elevated homocysteine and macroscopic structural brain changes, it is still unknown whether microstructural associations of homocysteine on brain tissue properties can be observed in healthy subjects with routine MRI. To this end, we investigated potential relationships between homocysteine levels and microstructural measures computed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a cohort of 338 healthy participants. Significant positive correlations were observed between homocysteine levels and diffusivity measures in the bilateral temporal WM, the brainstem, and the bilateral cerebellar peduncle. This is the first study demonstrating that DTI is sufficiently sensitive to relate microstructural WM properties to homocysteine levels in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Section of Dementia and Cognitive Impairment, Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan; Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jung-Lung
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Hung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chyi-Huey
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jyu-Gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Leu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Yeh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Max A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Viergever
authors.affiliation: Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leemans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D066127:White Matter / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine