title: Thalamic Atrophy Contributes to Low Slow Wave Sleep in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: Slow wave sleep abnormality has been reported in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), but mechanism for such abnormality is unknown. To determine the structural defects in the brain that account for the decrease of slow wave sleep in NMOSD patients. Thirty-three NMOSD patients and 18 matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. Polysomnography was used to monitor slow wave sleep and three-dimensional T1-weighted MRIs were obtained to assess the alterations of grey matter volume. The percentage of deep slow wave sleep decreased in 93% NMOSD patients. Compared to HC, a reduction of grey matter volume was found in the bilateral thalamus of patients with a lower percentage of slow wave sleep (FWE corrected at cluster-level, p < 0.05, cluster size > 400 voxels). Furthermore, the right thalamic fraction was positively correlated with the decrease in the percentage of slow wave sleep in NMOSD patients (p < 0.05, FDR corrected, cluster size > 200 voxels). Our study identified that thalamic atrophy is associated with the decrease of slow wave sleep in NMOSD patients. Further studies should evaluate whether neurotransmitters or hormones which stem from thalamus are involved in the decrease of slow wave sleep.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Radiology, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300170, China.
authors.forename: Yujuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
authors.forename: Kristofer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; 3Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
authors.forename: Fu-Dong
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; 4Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands; 5Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Yaou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
keywords: brain structure; magnetic resonance imaging; neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; slow wave sleep