Abstract #4199

Diffusion Spectrum Imaging After Stroke Shows Structural Changes in the Contra-Lateral Motor Network Correlating with Functional Recovery.

Cristina Granziera^1,2, Alessandro Daducci³, Xavier Gigandet³, Leila Cammoun³, Meskaldji Eddine Djalel³, Patrik Michel¹, Philippe Maeder⁴, Alma Gregory Sorensen⁵, Jean-Philippe Thiran³, Reto Meuli⁴, Gunnar Krueger⁶

¹Neurology, CHUV, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland; ²BMI, EPFL, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland; ³STI / IEL / LTS5, EPFL, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland; ⁴Radiology, CHUV, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland; ⁵Radiology, Martinos' Center-MGH, Boston, MA, United States; ⁶Healthcare Sector IM&WS S, Siemens Schweiz AG, Renens, VD, Switzerland

There is growing interest in the role of the contra-lateral hemisphere in stroke recovery. To determine the importance of the contra-lateral structural changes in post-stroke motor recovery, we studied with Diffusion Spectrum Imaging MRI a cohort of patients with motor deficits after stroke affecting the motor cortex and/or sub-cortical motor white matter. Changes in Generalized Fractional Anisotropy in patients significantly differed from GFA changes in controls, correlated with patients clinical scores, stroke size and demographics data and could be modeled through these variables in the majority of investigated motor connections. These findings may become particular interesting for outcome prediction and post-stroke rehabilitation.