RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Reduced basal ganglia volume associated with the gene for Huntington's disease in asymptomatic at‐risk persons
JF Neurology
JO Neurology
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP 823
OP 823
DO 10.1212/WNL.44.5.823
VO 44
IS 5
A1 Aylward, E. H.
A1 Brandt, J.
A1 Codori, A. M.
A1 Mangus, R. S.
A1 Barta, P. E.
A1 Harris, G. J.
YR 1994
UL http://n.neurology.org/content/44/5/823.abstract
AB Article abstract –Previous investigations using linear CT measures found no evidence of caudate atrophy in asymptomatic persons who have the DNA haplotype linked to the Huntington's disease (HD) gene. We measured volumes of the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus on MRIs of 10 gene marker-positive and 18 gene marker-negative asymptomatic at-risk persons. The volumes of all basal ganglia structures were significantly reduced in the marker-positive group, even after controlling for age, total brain volume, and minor neurologic signs. Discriminant function analysis using basal ganglia volumes and age as predictor variables correctly identified genetic status in 86% of subjects. These results indicate that basal ganglia volume is reduced before individuals become symptomatic with HD.