The aging-liked alterations in Cushing's disease: A neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) study

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences Vol. 413; p. 116769
• Main Authors: Jiang, Hong, Can-Xin, Xu, Pan, Si-Jian, Na-Ying, He, Sun, Yu-Hao, Yan, Fu-Hua, Bian, Liu-Guan, Liu, Chang, Sun, Qing-Fang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.06.2020
• Subjects: Aging; Brain; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cushing's disease; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Humans; Hypercortisolism; Neurites; Neurology; NODDI; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion - diagnostic imaging; NODDI; Aging; Hypercortisolism; Cushing's disease
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116769

Glucocorticoid (GC) is probably related to biological aging, but the exact mechanism remains unknown. Cushing's disease (CD) could represent a unique human model for examining the effects of prolonged exposure to hypercortisolism and its relationship with aging. Thus, we studied the alterations of neurites in CD patients with Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI). CD patients (n = 15) and healthy control subjects (n = 15) were included in this study. Orientation dispersion index (Odi), neurite density index (Ndi), partial fraction of free water (fiso), partial fraction of extracellular water (fec) were examined in a cross-sectional analysis. Significant altered NODDI parameters were found in CD patients. Some of these alterations were correlated with current age. Additionally, increased dendritic density was found in cerebellar of CD patients. Hypercortisolism relative reductions of the dendritic density were correlated with current age in several regions of CD patients. Our study enhances the understanding of the link between the aging and GC. •This is the first NODDI study for exploring the alterations of microstructure in patients with hypercortisolism.•This is the first NODDI MRI study explored the microstructure alterations in patients with Cushing disease.•This is the first NODDI study demonstrating the correlations with current age in patients with hypercortisolism.