Mapping track density changes in nigrostriatal and extranigral pathways in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Highlights First whole-brain probabilistic tractography study in Parkinson's disease High quality diffusion-weighted images (120 gradient directions, b = 2500 s/mm2) Voxel-based group analysis comparing early-stage patients and controls Abnormal reconstructed track density in the nigrostriatal pathway and brainstem Track density also increased in limbic and cognitive circuits.