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Abstract #4366

Structural alterations in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3: A 3T baseline and longitudinal MRI study of cerebellar peduncles and cerebral pathways

Mónica Ferreira1, Philipp Wegner1, Jahn Theisen1, Thomas Klockgether1,2, and Jennifer Faber1,2
1German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany, 2Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Synopsis

Keywords: Other Neurodegeneration, Neurodegeneration

Motivation: The first gene-silencing trials for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type-3 (SCA3) highlights the need for non-invasive biomarkers.

Goal(s): We aim to evaluate white matter (WM) tract integrity, identify early-alterations before clinical onset (preSCA3) and track disease progression over time.

Approach: Analyze fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in WM tracts of healthy controls, preSCA3, and SCA3 patients at cross-sectional and longitudinal visits by employing a global and along-tract analysis.

Results: While longitudinal analysis did not show relevant changes, alterations in preSCA3 in FA and MD were observed in all cerebellar peduncles and in the dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical-tract, indicating their potential as promising stratification-biomarkers before clinical onset.

Impact: This study offers a promising approach to differentiate early-stage SCA3 before clinical onset from healthy subjects, addressing clinical scale limitations. It underscores the potential of imaging biomarkers and the necessity for further research on disease progression modeling.

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