Brain iron deposition in neurodegenerative disorders examined by MRI T2 relaxometry, pathology and biochemistry: comparative study

在帕金森病（PD）患者的黑质（SN）解剖区，磁共振成像（MRR） T2弛豫测量显示信号改变。这些发现似乎与经颅超声（TCS）相应区域的组织回声性改变相对应。尽管组织铁含量的变化被认为是神经影像学改变的一个原因，但尚不清楚这种重金属在多大程度上导致了这些变化，也不清楚是否有其他因素在起作用。本课题旨在通过MRR、TCS及相应的组织病理学检查，与健康对照比较不同神经退行性疾病（如特发性帕金森病和非典型帕金森病（APD））中SN铁的含量。对组织的研究将显示铁的数量、铁储存的类型和铁蛋白结合的类型（铁II、铁III和铁与神经黑色素结合），并将这些发现与不同成像技术的外观联系起来。这将有助于我们了解各自疾病的具体病理生理，并显示MRR和TCS在检测铁各自作用方面的可能性，从而可能导致早期诊断和随后的神经保护治疗策略。

Signal alterations could be shown in T2 relaxometry on MRI (MRR) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients in the anatomical area of the substantia nigra (SN). The findings seem to correspond to alterations in tissue echogenicity of the respective regions on transcranial ultrasound (TCS). Although changes in tissue iron content have been discussed as one reason for the neuroimaging alterations, it is not clear to what extent this heavy metal contributes to the changes or whether other factors may play a role. The aim of the proposed project is to investigate the SN iron content in different neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. idiopathic PD and atypical parkinsonian diseases (APD)) by MRR, TCS and corresponding histopathological examinations in comparison to healthy controls. The study of tissues will show the amount of iron, the type of iron storage and the kind of protein iron binding (Fe II, Fe III and iron bound to Neuromelanin) and correlate these findings with the appearance in the different imaging techniques. This will help us to understand the specific pathophysiology of the respective disorders and show the possibilities of MRR as well as TCS in detecting the respective role of iron, which may lead to earlier diagnosis and subsequent neuroprotective treatment strategies.