Clinical and imaging predictors of late-onset GM2 gangliosidosis: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: Late-onset GM2 gangliosidosis (LOGG) subtypes late-onset Tay-Sachs (LOTS) and Sandhoff disease (LOSD) are ultra-rare neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders presenting with weakness, ataxia, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Previous studies considered LOTS and LOSD clinically indistinguishable; recent studies have challenged this. We performed a scoping review to ascertain whether imaging and clinical features may differentiate these diseases. METHODS: We examined MEDLINE/non-MEDLINE databases up to May 2022. Articles reporting brain imaging findings in genetically/enzymatically confirmed LOGG, symptom onset at age ≥ 10 years (or evaluated at least once ≥18 years) were included, yielding 170 LOGG patients (LOTS = 127, LOSD = 43) across 68 papers. We compared LOTS versus LOSD and performed regression analyses. Results were corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Age of onset was lower in LOTS versus LOSD (17.9 ± 8.2 vs. 23.9 ± 14.4 years, p = 0.017), although disease duration was similar (p = 0.34). LOTS more commonly had psychosis/bipolar symptoms (35.0% vs. 9.30%, p = 0.011) but less frequent swallowing problems (4.10% vs. 18.60%, p = 0.041). Cerebellar atrophy was more common in LOTS (89.0%) versus LOSD (60.5%), p < 0.0001, with more severe atrophy in LOTS (p = 0.0005). Brainstem atrophy was documented only in LOTS (14.2%). Independent predictors of LOTS versus LOSD (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) included the presence of psychosis/bipolar symptoms (4.95 [1.59-19.52], p = 0.011), no swallowing symptoms (0.16 [0.036-0.64], p = 0.011), and cerebellar atrophy (5.81 [2.10-17.08], p = 0.0009). Lower age of onset (0.96 [0.93-1.00], p = 0.075) and tremor (2.50 [0.94-7.43], p = 0.078) were marginally statistically significant but felt relevant to include in the model. INTERPRETATION: These data suggest significant differences in symptomatology, disease course, and imaging findings between LOTS and LOSD.

Feasibility of simultaneous high-resolution anatomical and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of sciatic nerves in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A (CMT1A) at 7T.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of peripheral nerves can provide image-based anatomical information and quantitative measurement. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of high-resolution anatomical and quantitative MRI assessment of sciatic nerve fascicles in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) 1A using 7T field strength. METHODS: Six patients with CMT1A underwent imaging on a high-gradient 7T MRI scanner using a 28-channel knee coil. Two high-resolution axial images were simultaneously acquired using a quantitative double-echo in steady-state (DESS) sequence. By comparing the two DESS echoes, T2 and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were calculated. The cross-sectional areas and mean T2 and ADC were measured in individual fascicles of the tibial and fibular (peroneal) portions of the sciatic nerve at its bifurcation and 10 mm distally. Disease severity was measured using Charcot-Marie-Tooth Examination Score (CMTES) version 2 and compared to imaging findings. RESULTS: We demonstrated the feasibility of 7T MRI of the proximal sciatic nerve in patients with CMT1A. Using the higher field, it was possible to measure individual bundles in the tibial and fibular divisions of the sciatic nerve. There was no apparent correlation between diffusion measures and disease severity in this small cohort. DISCUSSION: This pilot study indicated that high-resolution MRI that allows for combined anatomical and quantitative imaging in one scan is feasible at 7T field strengths and can be used to investigate the microstructure of individual nerve fascicles.

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in late-onset GM2-gangliosidosis.

OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to quantify structural changes in relation to metabolic abnormalities in the cerebellum, thalamus, and parietal cortex of patients with late-onset GM2-gangliosidosis (LOGG), which encompasses late-onset Tay-Sachs disease (LOTS) and Sandhoff disease (LOSD). METHODS: We enrolled 10 patients with LOGG (7 LOTS, 3 LOSD) who underwent a neurological assessment battery and 7 age-matched controls. Structural MRI and MRS were performed on a 3 T scanner. Structural volumes were obtained from FreeSurfer and normalized by total intracranial volume. Quantified metabolites included N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), myo-inositol (mI), creatine (Cr), and combined glutamate-glutamine (Glx). Metabolic concentrations were corrected for partial volume effects. RESULTS: Structural analyses revealed significant cerebellar atrophy in the LOGG cohort, which was primarily driven by LOTS patients. NAA was lower and mI higher in LOGG, but this was also significantly driven by the LOTS patients. Clinical ataxia deficits (via the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia) were associated with neuronal injury (via NAA), neuroinflammation (via mI), and volumetric atrophy in the cerebellum. INTERPRETATION: The decrease of NAA in the cerebellum suggests that, in addition to cerebellar atrophy, there is ongoing impaired neuronal function and/or loss, while an increase in mI indicates possible neuroinflammation in LOGG (more so within the LOTS subvariant). Quantifying cerebellar atrophy in relation to neurometabolic differences in LOGG may lead to improvements in assessing disease severity, progression, and pharmacological efficacy. Lastly, additional neuroimaging studies in LOGG are required to contrast LOTS and LOSD more accurately.

Ultra-high field (7T) functional magnetic resonance imaging in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot study.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that results in a progressive loss of motor function and ultimately death. It is critical, yet also challenging, to develop non-invasive biomarkers to identify, localize, measure and/or track biological mechanisms implicated in ALS. Such biomarkers may also provide clues to identify potential molecular targets for future therapeutic trials. Herein we report on a pilot study involving twelve participants with ALS and nine age-matched healthy controls who underwent high-resolution resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging at an ultra-high field of 7 Tesla. A group-level whole-brain analysis revealed a disruption in long-range functional connectivity between the superior sensorimotor cortex (in the precentral gyrus) and bilateral cerebellar lobule VI. Post hoc analyses using atlas-derived left and right cerebellar lobule VI revealed decreased functional connectivity in ALS participants that predominantly mapped to bilateral postcentral and precentral gyri. Cerebellar lobule VI is a transition zone between anterior motor networks and posterior non-motor networks in the cerebellum, and is associated with a wide range of key functions including complex motor and cognitive processing tasks. Our observation of the involvement of cerebellar lobule VI adds to the growing number of studies implicating the cerebellum in ALS. Future avenues of scientific investigation should consider how high-resolution imaging at 7T may be leveraged to visualize differences in functional connectivity disturbances in various genotypes and phenotypes of ALS along the ALS-frontotemporal dementia spectrum.