Diffusion tensor imaging study in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle disorder associated with an intellectual deficit which is non-progressive. The aim of this study was to investigate brain microstructural changes in DMD and to explore the relationship between such changes and cognitive impairment. METHODS All participants (12 DMD patients, 14 age-matched healthy boys), intelligence quotients (IQs) [both full (FIQ) and verbal (VIQ)] were evaluated using the Wechsler intelligence scale for children China revised (WISC-CR) edition, and brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes were mapped using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with fractional anisotropy (FA). The differences between groups were analyzed using the t-test and the association of cognition with neuroimaging parameters was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS Compared to the normal controls, the DMD group had lower FIQ (82.0±15.39 vs. 120.21±16.06) and significantly lower splenium of corpus callosum (CC) FA values (P<0.05). Splenium of CC FA was positively correlated with VIQ (r=0.588, P=0.044). CONCLUSIONS There were microstructural changes of splenium of CC in DMD patients, which was associated with cognitive impairment.