| Objective: To analyze the thalamic changes in morphology, structure, functionwith RRMS patients by using voxel-based morphology （VBM）, resting-statefunctional magnetic resonance imaging （rfMRI）, diffusion tensor imaging-fibertracker （DTI-FT） technology, and to explore the possible mechanisms and clinicalsignificance.Methods:21cases of RRMS patients, gender, age, corresponding to21cases ofnormal controls. The Siemens3.0T MR scanner was used for conventional MRimaging,3D-T1WI, rfMRI and DTI scans. Surveying methods used voxel-basedmorphology, with SPM8two-sample t-test, the calculation of whole brain gray matteratrophy region, select the atrophy most obvious thalamus RTA, the applicationDPARSF software to analyze the resting state, thalamic function, using a singlesample and two-sample t-test group and between groups analysis, to use TrackVissoftware to analyze the atrophy of the thalamus FA values and the concentration offiber bundles change.Results:①The average EDSS for the RRMS patients was1.8±1.0（0.03.5）, the MFISmean score was10.7±3.2（516）, the PASAT average score was83.6±14.7（61110）.②Compared to normal control group, RRMS patients with BPF reduced [（83.0±2.1）%vs （84.9±1.4）%, t=-3.361, P=0.002]. Gray matter atrophy mainlydistributed in the bilateral thalamus, bilateral putamen （on the right more obviousthan the left side）, left lenticular nucleus and white matter atrophy mainly in thefrontal and temporal lobes （P<0.001, cluster>50）. Regional brain atrophy mostobvious in the thalamus, and with the EDSS and MFIS score was negativelycorrelated （r=-0.475, P=0.001; r=-0.519, P<0.001） and PASAT score was positivelycorrelated （r=0.311, P=0.045）.③RRMS group atrophy of the thalamus RTA average FA values than the normalgroup significantly decreased （0.277±0.025vs.0.300±0.016, t=-3.486, P=0.001）,RTA MD than normal control group was significantly increased （1.564±0.244） ×10-3mm2/s vs.（1.286±0.137）×10-3mm2/s, and t=4.558, P<0.001]; fiber bundles inthe RTA relative concentration [（1.528±0.218）%vs.（1.724±0.231）%, t=-2.827,P=0.007], the average FA value of the fiber bundle （0.418±0.033vs0.424±0.024,t=-0.064，P=0.526） decreases compared with normal group, the MD of the fiberbundles [（1.207±0.129）×10–3mm2/s vs.（1.147±0.102）×10-3mm2/s, t=1.682，P=0.100]increased, but no statistically significant difference.④Compared to the normal control group, the group of RRMS thalamic atrophyregional with bilateral frontal lobe, midbrain, brainstem and cingulate and otherfeatures functional connection enhancement, weakening connection with bilateraloccipital lobe, temporal lobe and parietal lobe function （p <0.05, cluster>100）.Conclusion: The existence of RRMS patients with the gray and white matteratrophy, which shrink the most obvious area for the thalamus, and were correlatedwith clinical assessment scale, regional atrophy of the thalamus consistent with theresting state functional network changes and the corresponding RTA FA value andMD value changes, the morphological changes is the basis of structural andfunctional changes, it can be to brain atrophy, especially the thalamus atrophy as apredictor of clinical disease progression. |
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