Gray and white matter imaging: <scp>A</scp> biomarker for cognitive impairment in early <scp>P</scp>arkinson's disease?

Abstract

At the earliest stages of PD, regionally specific increases in central white matter mean diffusivity are present and suggest early axonal damage. Such changes are not accompanied by significant gray matter volume loss and are consistent with proposed models of pathological progression of the disease. Structural MRI, especially diffusion tensor imaging analysis, offers potential as a noninvasive biomarker reflecting cognitive impairment in PD.