Han Jing, Ma Lin
Department of Neuroradiology, Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300060.
Chin Med Sci J. 2006 Dec;21(4):228-33.
To study the activation changes of the brain in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) while executing sequential finger tapping movement using the method of blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Fifteen patients with definite or probable ALS and fifteen age and gender matched normal controls were enrolled. MRI was performed on a 3. 0 Tesla scanner with standard headcoil. The functional images were acquired using a gradient echo single shot echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence. All patients and normal subjects executed sequential finger tapping movement at the frequency of 1-2 Hz during a block-design motor task. Structural MRI was acquired using a three-dimensional fast spoiled gradient echo (3D-FSPGR) sequence. The fMRI data were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping (SPM).
Bilateral primary sensorimotor cortex (PSM), bilateral premotor area (PA), bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral parietal region (PAR), contralateral inferior lateral premotor area (ILPA), and ipsilateral cerebellum showed activation in both ALS patients and normal controls when executing the same motor task. The activation areas in bilateral PSM, bilateral PA, bilateral SMA, and ipsilateral cerebellum were significantly larger in ALS patients than those in normal controls (P < 0.05). Extra activation areas including ipsilateral ILPA, bilateral posterior limb of internal capsule, and contralateral cerebellum were only detected in ALS patients.
Similar activation areas are activated in ALS patients and normal subjects while executing the same motor task. The increased activation areas in ALS patients may represent neural reorganization, while the extra activation areas in ALS patients may indicate functional compensation.
采用基于血氧水平依赖（BOLD）的功能磁共振成像（fMRI）方法，研究肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）患者在进行连续手指敲击运动时大脑的激活变化。
纳入15例确诊或可能患有ALS的患者以及15例年龄和性别匹配的正常对照者。使用标准头部线圈在3.0特斯拉扫描仪上进行MRI检查。采用梯度回波单次激发回波平面成像（EPI）序列采集功能图像。所有患者和正常受试者在组块设计的运动任务中以1-2赫兹的频率进行连续手指敲击运动。使用三维快速扰相梯度回波（3D-FSPGR）序列采集结构MRI图像。通过统计参数映射（SPM）分析fMRI数据。
在执行相同运动任务时，ALS患者和正常对照者双侧初级感觉运动皮层（PSM）、双侧运动前区（PA）、双侧辅助运动区（SMA）、双侧顶叶区域（PAR）、对侧下外侧运动前区（ILPA）和同侧小脑均有激活。ALS患者双侧PSM、双侧PA、双侧SMA和同侧小脑的激活区域明显大于正常对照者（P < 0.05）。仅在ALS患者中检测到额外的激活区域，包括同侧ILPA、双侧内囊后肢和对侧小脑。
ALS患者和正常受试者在执行相同运动任务时激活的区域相似。ALS患者激活区域增加可能代表神经重组，而ALS患者额外的激活区域可能表明功能代偿。
