4.7 Article

Structural integrity of corticospinal motor fibers predicts motor impairment in chronic stroke

Journal

NEUROLOGY
Volume 74, Issue 4, Pages 280-287

Publisher

LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181ccc6d9

Keywords

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Funding

  1. GE Healthcare
  2. Merck Serono
  3. NIH [1 R01 CA115745-01A1, 1 R01 AG027435-01, 1 R21 CA121570A1, R01-EB004582, R01 MH80729-01A2, R01 MH077073-01A2, R01DC008796-01A1, R01 NS047029-04A2, 1P50 CA101942-01, NINDS 1R01NS045049, NIDCD 1RO1 DC008796, NIDCD R01 DC009823-01]
  4. Siemens Medical for US Patents
  5. GE Healthcare for US Patent
  6. NSF [BCS0518837]

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Objective: Motor impairment after stroke has been related to infarct size, infarct location, and integrity of motor tracts. To determine the value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a predictor of motor outcome and its role as a structural surrogate marker of impairment in chronic stroke, we tested correlations between motor impairment and DTI-derived measures of motor tract integrity. Methods: Thirty-five chronic stroke patients with varying degrees of recovery underwent DTI and motor impairment assessments. Fibers originating from the precentral gyrus were traced and separated into pyramidal tract ( PT) and alternate motor fibers (aMF). Asymmetry indices of fiber number and regional fractional anisotropy ( FA) values comparing lesional with nonlesional hemispheres were correlated with motor impairment scores and compared to an age-matched control group. Results: Fiber number and regional FA value asymmetry significantly differed between the groups with lower values in the patients' lesional hemispheres. Both measures significantly predicted motor impairment with stronger predictions when all motor tracts were combined as compared to predictions using only the PT. The pattern of motor tract damage ( PT only vs PT and aMF) led to a classification of mild, moderate, or severe impairment with significant between-group differences in motor impairment scores. Conclusions: Diffusion tensor imaging-derived measures are valid structural markers of motor impairment. The integrity of all descending motor tracts, not merely the pyramidal tract, appears to account for stroke recovery. A 3-tier, hierarchical classification of impairment categories based on the pattern of motor tract damage is proposed that might be helpful in predicting recovery potential. Neurology (R) 2010; 74: 280-287

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