Brain volumetric analysis and cortical thickness in adults with saccadic intrusions (ocular flutter or opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome)

• Published in: Clinical neurology and neurosurgery Vol. 163; pp. 167 - 172
• Main Authors: Ibáñez-Juliá, María-José, Pappa, Evangelia, Gaymard, Bertrand, Leclercq, Delphine, Hautefort, Charlotte, Tilikete, Caroline, Delattre, Jean-Yves, Hoang-Xuan, Khê, Psimaras, Dimitri, Alentorn, Agusti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2017; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Age; Ataxia; Atrophy; Automation; Brain; Cerebellar atrophy; Cerebellum; Cerebellum - pathology; Cortex; Cortical thickness; Encephalitis; Eye movements; Female; Generalized linear models; Gray Matter - pathology; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medical imaging; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Myoclonus; Neurology; Neuromuscular diseases; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Ocular flutter; Ocular Motility Disorders - diagnosis; Ocular Motility Disorders - pathology; Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome; Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome - diagnosis; Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome - pathology; Patients; Prospective Studies; Saccades; Software; Substantia grisea; Volumetric analysis; Cerebellar atrophy; Ocular flutter; Cortical thickness; Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome
• ISSN: 0303-8467; 1872-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2017.10.028

•Cerebellar atrophy may be a long term consequence of ocular flutter or opsoclonus.•Total supratentorial gray matter volume, may also been diminished in the chronic phase of ocular flutter/opsoclonus.•Cortical atrophy in patients with ocular flutter/opsoclonus seems to be diffuse. Ocular flutter (OF) and opsoclonus are considered a continuum with a similar pathogenesis. Due to the rarity of this disease in the adult population, little is known about the brain morphological changes in the chronic phase of the disease. Six magnetic resonance imaging from adults with previous history of OF/Opsoclonus and 12 healthy patients (paired by age and sex) were analyzed in order to identify the long term cortical thickness pattern in this rare disease by using Freesurfer. Patients with OF/Opsoclonus showed reduced cerebellum cortical volume with a subsequent diminution in total cerebellar volume. White mater cerebellum volume was not modified. In addition, we have also identified a significant supratentorial gray matter volume decrease in OF/Opsoclonus patients, involving both the cortical and the subcortical gray matter. OF/Opsoclonus in adults may be associated with cortical and subcortical gray matter atrophy, as well as decreased cerebellar cortical volume. Further larger prospective studies are necessary to confirm these results.