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Abstract #2371

Diffusion Kurtosis in a Symptomatic Rat Model of Huntingtons Disease: Selective Grey and White Matter Pathology

Ines Blockx1, Marleen Verhoye1, Dirk Poot2, Johan Van Audekerke1, Huu Phuc Nguyen3, Stephan Von Hrsten4, Jan Sijbers2, Annemie Van der Linden1

1Bio Imaging lab - University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; 2Vision Lab - University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; 3Department of Medical Genetics - University of Tbingen, Tbingen, Germany; 4Experimental Therapy - Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany


Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) quantifies the well known non-gaussianity of the diffusion process in biological tissue and is therefore an indicator of microstructural complexity. HD is a progressive late-onset neurodegenerative disorder and is characterized by the formation of huntingtin aggregates and degeneration of the corticostriatal network. In the present study, we used the microstructural sensitivity of DKI, to detect neurodegeneration in symptomatic tgHD rats at the age of 16 months. Region of interest analyses revealed significant differences of DT and DK parameters in grey (caudate putamen) and even in white matter (external capsula) structures.