Stephen Rose1,2, Kerstin Pannek, 1,3,
Olivier Salvado4, Parnesh Raniga4, Fusun Baumann5,
Robert Henderson5
1UQ Centre for Clinical Research,
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; 2Centre
for Medical Diagnostic Technologies in Queensland, University of Queensland,
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; 3Centre for Magnetic Resonance,
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; 4The
Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; 5Neurology,
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Structural
connectivity indices derived using diffusion based HARDI or q-ball imaging in
conjunction with functional parcellation of the cortex from high resolution
MRI, has provided insight into the anatomical conformation of many of the
important neural networks in the living brain. We are developing the concept
of the FA connectome, i.e. combining a measure of fractional anisotropy, a
quantitative diffusivity metric that reflects the integrity of WM pathways,
with the connectivity matrix. When applied to study Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, this technique shows identifies a number of key corticomotor
pathways with reduced mean FA compared to control participants.