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The Evolving Role of Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Movement Disorders

  • Neuroimaging (DJ Brooks, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Significant advances have allowed diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evolve into a powerful tool in the field of movement disorders that can be used to study disease states and connectivity between brain regions. Diffusion MRI is a promising potential biomarker for Parkinson’s disease and other forms of parkinsonism, and may allow the distinction of different forms of parkinsonism. Techniques such as tractography have contributed to our current thinking regarding the pathophysiology of dystonia and possible mechanisms of penetrance. Diffusion MRI measures could potentially assist in monitoring disease progression in Huntington’s disease, and in uncovering the nature of the processes and structures involved the development of essential tremor. The ability to represent structural connectivity in vivo also makes diffusion MRI an ideal adjunctive tool for the surgical treatment of movement disorders. We review recent studies using diffusion MRI in movement disorders research and present the current state of the science as well as future directions.

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Acknowledgments

Christopher W. Hess has received fellowship funding from the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Michael S. Okun has received research grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Parkinson Foundation, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Parkinson Alliance, the Smallwood Foundation, the Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation, the Tourette Syndrome Association, the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, and the University of Florida Foundation. David E. Vaillancourt has received grant support from the National Institutes of Health, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation, and Tyler’s Hope for a Dystonia Cure.

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Conflict of Interest

Christopher W. Hess, Edward Ofori, and Umer Akbar declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Michael S. Okun serves as a consultant for the National Parkinson Foundation. He has received royalties for publications with Demos, Manson, Amazon, and Cambridge University Press (movement disorders books). He has participated in continuing medical education activities on movement disorders sponsored by the University of South Florida’s continuing medical education office, PeerView, and Vanderbilt University. The institution and not Michael Okun receives grants from Medtronic and ANS/St. Jude, and Michael Okun has no financial interest in these grants. He has participated as a site principal investigator and/or co-investigator for several National Institutes of Health, foundation, and industry sponsored trials over the years, but has not received honoraria.

David E. Vaillancourt consults for projects at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the University of Illinois, and Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, University of Florida, PO Box 118205, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Christopher W. Hess, Edward Ofori & David E. Vaillancourt

  2. University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Christopher W. Hess, Umer Akbar & Michael S. Okun

  3. Neurology Service, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Christopher W. Hess

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  1. Christopher W. Hess
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Correspondence to David E. Vaillancourt.

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Hess, C.W., Ofori, E., Akbar, U. et al. The Evolving Role of Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Movement Disorders. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 13, 400 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-013-0400-1

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