Parkinson's disease (PD) and idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD, a prodromal condition of Parkinsonism) are characterised by the progressive loss of neuromelanin-containing neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Based on longitudinal neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) of healthy controls, patients with iRBD and patients with PD, and voxel-wise analysis of NM-MRI on a study-specific anatomical brain template, we showed the temporal evolution of SN atrophy in disease. We also found significant correlations between temporal changes in the NM-MRI signal-to-noise ratio and clinical scores of disease severity, reflecting the functional organisation (motor, cognition and behaviour/mood) of the SN.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.