The following is a summary of “Topological alterations in white matter anatomical networks in cervical dystonia,” published in the May 2024 issue of Neurology by Zhang et al.

While studies reveal changes in white matter (WM) in patients with cervical dystonia (CD), the reorganization of large-scale structural networks remains unknown. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to identify differences in the organization of large-scale WM networks between patients with CD and HCs and to see if these network changes are linked to specific clinical symptoms.

They conducted diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on 30 patients with CD and 30 HCs. The WM network was built using the BNA-246 atlas and deterministic tractography. Global and local topological properties were analyzed using graph theory, comparing patients with CD to HCs. Subsequently, the AAL-90 atlas for reproducibility assessments was utilized. Additionally, the association between abnormal topological properties and clinical characteristics was investigated.

The results showed that, compared to HCs, patients with CD exhibited alterations in network segregation and resilience, including heightened local efficiency and assortativity. Additionally, patients with CD displayed a notable decrease in network strength compared to HCs. Validation analyses using the AAL-90 atlas revealed similar assortativity and network strength increases in patients with CD. No significant correlations were observed between modified network properties and clinical characteristics in patients with CD.

Investigators concluded that while large-scale WM network reorganization occurs in CD, the cause behind the change, whether due to dystonia or involuntary movements, remained unclear.

Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03682-4