Abstract #3054

Novel diffusion markers for tract-based spatial statistics and bundle-specific analysis – feasibility study in patients with schizophrenia

Stefan Sommer¹, Matthias Kirschner², Oliver Hager^2,3, Stefan Kaiser², Sebastian Kozerke¹, Erich Seifritz², and Philipp Stämpfli²

¹Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, ²Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, ³Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

In the last few years, tract base spatial statistics (TBSS) become prominent tools for analyzing diffusion data in group studies. In this study, we introduce optimized high-resolution tract density (optTD) images based on tractograms. In order to avoid tractography bias, the tractograms are optimized using the convex-optimization modeling for microstructure informed tractography (COMMIT). The optTD were analyzed in a group of patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls using TBSS. Additionally, we have shown significant group differences comparing fiber weights derived from the COMMIT optimization. The introduced measures provide promising tools for investigating white-matter abnormalities in mental disorders.

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