Regional Gray Matter Atrophy in Patients with Parkinson Disease and Freezing of Gait

Article Figures & Data

Download figure
Open in new tab
Download powerpoint
Fig 1.
A, Areas of GM tissue loss deriving from the direct comparison between patients with FOG+ and those with FOG−. The peak differences can be found within the left cuneus, precuneus, lingual gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex. Results are superimposed on representative axial and coronal sections of the customized GM template, at a threshold of P ≤ .05, FWE-corrected. B, Mean GM volume loss (± standard error of the mean) extracted from the region (Statistical Parametric Mapping coordinates x: −8, y: −82, z: −2) showing a maximal statistical difference between groups. Double asterisks indicate significance at the whole-brain statistical threshold corrected for multiple comparison, (P ≤ .05, FWE-corrected).
Download figure
Open in new tab
Download powerpoint
Fig 2.
Negative correlation between the left cuneus GM volume and FOG-Q scores in all patients with PD (FOG+ and FOG−). Scatterplot shows distribution of the mean GM volumes (y-axis) of all voxels within the left cuneus cluster and FOG-Q scores (x-axis). The regression line (red) and the 95% confidence intervals (black lines) are shown.

Table 1:

Cognitive evaluation^a of patients with PD

Cognitive Tasks	FOG+ (n = 12) (mean ± SD)	FOG− (n = 12) (mean ± SD)	U Value	P Value
MMSE	28.27 ± 2.22	27.94 ± 1.58	67.00	.799
Corsi Span	4.27 ± 0.64	4.77 ± 0.92	44.00	.314
Verbal Span	3.54 ± 0.66	4.02 ± 0.70	45.50	.211
Immediate recall (Rey)	34.54 ± 8.44	42.64 ± 9.30	33.00	.044^b
Delayed recall (Rey)	7.65 ± 2.90	9.34 ± 2.73	40.00	.118
CA	10.85 ± 0.71	10.95 ± 1.77	55.50	.525
RCPM	26.00 ± 4.98	27.4 ± 3.21	53.50	.449
FAB	12.41 ± 1.74	15.67 ± 1.27	3.00	.001^b
Verbal fluency	28.52 ± 7.95	43.61 ± 8.87	16.00	.001^b
Stroop (part II)	37.20 ± 10.26	35.87 ± 10.21	65.50	.976
Stroop (part III)	18.42 ± 4.58	22.38 ± 5.71	37.00	.079
TPCT	4.42 ± 2.71	7.67 ± 2.67	24.00	.005^b
Attentional matrices	43.21 ± 9.11	48.36 ± 5.44	43.50	.169

Note:—CA indicates constructional apraxia; FAB, Frontal Assessment Battery; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination; TPCT, Ten-Point Clock Test
↵a Scores are age- and education-adjusted.
↵b Significant.

Table 2:

Location and Talaraich coordinates of significant clusters of GM atrophy

Contrast	Region	BA	Talaraich Coordinates			T Value	Cluster Size (k_E)	P_FWE-corr
Contrast	Region	BA	X	Y	Z	T Value	Cluster Size (k_E)	P_FWE-corr
FOG+ < FOG−	L posterior cingulate	30	−1	−62	9	3.90	785	.025^a
	L ingual gyrus	18	−7	−78	2	3.77
	L cuneus	18	−12	−78	14	3.54
	L precuneus	23	−4	−61	20	3.40
FOG+ < HC	L cuneus	30	−2	−68	6	4.53	374	.015^a
	L ingual gyrus	18	−7	−81	1	4.27