title: Micro-structural white matter abnormalities in type 2 diabetic patients: a DTI study using TBSS analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have usually been found cognitive impairment associated with brain white matter (WM) abnormalities. However, findings have varied across studies, and any potential relationship with Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the whole-brain WM integrity of T2DM patients and to compare our findings with those of published AD cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) combined with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to investigate whole-brain WM abnormalities in 48 T2DM patients and 48 healthy controls. The effects of age and gender were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, significantly decreasing FA and increasing MD and DA values (P<0.05) were found in some WM regions closely related to the default mode network (DMN), including cingulum, the right frontal lobe involving the right uncinate fasciculus (UF), bilateral parietal lobes involving the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), and the right middle temporal gyrus (MTG) involving the UF and the ILF. We also found abnormalities in the thalamus involving the fornix (FX), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), and posterior thalamic radiation (PTR). The damaged regions above are similar to those found in patients with AD, as reported in previous studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study not only provides useful information about the WM regions and tracts affected by T2DM but also offers insight into the underlying neuropathological process in T2DM patients and the relationship between T2DM and AD.
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Tan
authors: College of Mechatronics and Automation, National University of Defense Technology, Hunan, China.
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Fang
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: An
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Huan
authors: H
authors: Lin
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Liang
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Shen
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Leng
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Chi
authors: C
authors: Zhang
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China.
authors: Yanting
authors: Y
authors: Zheng
authors: Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.16 Jichang Road, Guangdong, China. qiushijun006@sina.com.
authors: Shijun
authors: S
authors: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Default mode network; Diffusion tensor imaging; Thalamus; Tract-based spatial statistics; Type 2 diabetes mellitus