title: Structural brain alterations of Down's syndrome in early childhood evaluation by DTI and volumetric analyses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an initial assessment of white matter (WM) integrity with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and the accompanying volumetric changes in WM and grey matter (GM) through volumetric analyses of young children with Down's syndrome (DS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten children with DS and eight healthy control subjects were included in the study. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used in the DTI study for whole-brain voxelwise analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of WM. Volumetric analyses were performed with an automated segmentation method to obtain regional measurements of cortical volumes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with DS showed significantly reduced FA in association tracts of the fronto-temporo-occipital regions as well as the corpus callosum (CC) and anterior limb of the internal capsule (p < 0.05). Volumetric reductions included total cortical GM, cerebellar GM and WM volume, basal ganglia, thalamus, brainstem and CC in DS compared with controls (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results suggest that DTI and volumetric analyses may reflect the earliest complementary changes of the neurodevelopmental delay in children with DS and can serve as surrogate biomarkers of the specific elements of WM and GM integrity for cognitive development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • DS is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability. • WM and GM structural alterations represent the neurological features of DS. • DTI may identify the earliest aging process changes. • DTI-volumetric analyses can serve as surrogate biomarkers of neurodevelopment in DS.
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Neuroradiology Section, 55139, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey. hpgunbey@hotmail.com.
authors: Hediye Pınar
authors: HP
authors: Gunbey
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Neuroradiology Section, 55139, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey.
authors: Meltem Ceyhan
authors: MC
authors: Bilgici
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Neuroradiology Section, 55139, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey.
authors: Kerim
authors: K
authors: Aslan
authors: National Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Arzu Ceylan
authors: AC
authors: Has
authors: Department of Genetics, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors: Methiye Gonul
authors: MG
authors: Ogur
authors: Department of Statistics, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Aslıhan
authors: A
authors: Alhan
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Neuroradiology Section, 55139, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey.
authors: Lutfi
authors: L
authors: Incesu
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Brain; DTI; Down’s syndrome; MRI; Volumetry