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Topographic distribution of brain iron deposition and small cerebrovascular lesions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: a post-mortem 7.0-tesla magnetic resonance imaging study with neuropathological correlates

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Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) in 15% of the cases. A neuropathological continuity between ALS and FTLD-TDP is suspected. The present post-mortem 7.0-tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study compares the topographic distribution of iron (Fe) deposition and the incidence of small cerebrovascular lesions in ALS and in FTLD brains. Seventy-eight post-mortem brains underwent 7.0-tesla MRI. The patients consisted of 12 with ALS, 38 with FTLD, and 28 controls. Three ALS brains had minor FTLD features. Three coronal sections of a cerebral hemisphere were submitted to T2 and T2* MRI sequences. The amount of Fe deposition in the deep brain structures and the number of small cerebrovascular lesions was determined in ALS and the subtypes of FTLD compared to control brains, with neuropathological correlates. A significant increase of Fe deposition was observed in the claustrum, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, thalamus, and subthalamic nucleus of the FTLD-FUS and FTLD-TDP groups, while in the ALS one, the Fe increase was only observed in the caudate and the subthalamic nuclei. White matter changes were only significantly more severe in the FTLD compared to those in ALS and in controls brains. Cortical micro-bleeds were increased in the frontal and temporal lobes of FTLD as well as of ALS brains compared to controls. Cortical micro-infarcts were, on the other hand, more frequent in the control compared to the ALS and FTLD groups. The present study supports the assumption of a neuropathological continuity between ALS and FTLD and illustrates the favourable vascular risk profile in these diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ Lille, INSERM U1171 Degenerative & Vascular Cognitive Disorders, Lille, France

    Jacques De Reuck, David Devos, Caroline Moreau, Florent Auger, Nicolas Durieux, Vincent Deramecourt, Florence Pasquier, Claude-Alain Maurage, Charlotte Cordonnier, Didier Leys & Regis Bordet

  2. Leopold II laan 96, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Jacques De Reuck

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  1. Jacques De Reuck
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  2. David Devos
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  3. Caroline Moreau
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  6. Vincent Deramecourt
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Correspondence to Jacques De Reuck.

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The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Ethical approval

The brain tissue samples were acquired from the Lille Neuro-Bank of the Lille University, federated to the “Centre des Resources Biologiques” that acted as an institutional review board.

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Previously obtained informed consent of the patients or from the nearest family allowed an autopsy for diagnostic and scientific purposes.

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De Reuck, J., Devos, D., Moreau, C. et al. Topographic distribution of brain iron deposition and small cerebrovascular lesions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: a post-mortem 7.0-tesla magnetic resonance imaging study with neuropathological correlates. Acta Neurol Belg 117, 873–878 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-017-0832-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-017-0832-5

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