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Diffusion tensor tractography and neuropsychological assessment in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
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Abstract

Introduction

Structural imaging of the brain does not demonstrate any changes in a vast majority of patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, even in advanced stages. In this study, we aimed to assess and correlate the functional integrity of the brain fiber tracts using diffusion tensor tractography with neuropsychological examination in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Methods

The study was conducted at two tertiary care centers. Thirty-two patients with vitamin B12 deficiency were enrolled and subjected to diffusion tensor tractography, as an extension of diffusion tensor imaging, and neuropsychological assessment. Tests of significance were done to detect changes, pre- and post-vitamin B12 supplementation in the diffusivity parameters (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity) and the neuropsychological test scores.

Results

Statistically significant changes were observed in the diffusivity parameters and the neuropsychological test scores between the controls and the patients with vitamin B12deficiency in the pre- and post-treatment phases.

Conclusions

This is the first study to evaluate the diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) parameters in the light of clinical neuropsychological assessment in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. Utilization of DTT parameters may antedate structural changes and may quantify the neurocognitive deficits.

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by Ministry of Science & Technology Department of Biotechnology (BT/IN/German/04/RKG/2010), New Delhi, India.

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, King George’s Medical University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India, 226003

    Pradeep Kumar Gupta, Ravindra Kumar Garg, Hardeep Singh Malhotra, Rajesh Verma & Maneesh Kumar Singh

  2. Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India

    Yogita Rai

  3. Department of Neurology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India

    Vimal Kumar Paliwal

  4. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India

    Ram Kishore Singh Rathore

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India

    Chandra Mani Pandey

  6. Departments of Radiology and Imaging, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, India

    Rakesh Kumar Gupta

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  1. Pradeep Kumar Gupta
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  2. Ravindra Kumar Garg
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Correspondence to Ravindra Kumar Garg.

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Gupta, P.K., Garg, R.K., Gupta, R.K. et al. Diffusion tensor tractography and neuropsychological assessment in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. Neuroradiology 56, 97–106 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-013-1306-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-013-1306-y

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