Vascular versus neuronal defects in ALS: an fMRI and DTI study

Purpose: To study arguments pro/contra vascular and/or neuronal etiology in ALS using BOLD fMRI and DTI. Methods: 33 ALS patients and 21 matched controls underwent fMRI and DTI examination using a 3T MRI scanner. In the first fMRI session, a motor task was performed with the right hand to assess the activation pattern in the brain when executing voluntary movements. In the second session, an alternating hyperventilation – breath-hold task was performed to assess the vascular reactivity in the brain without interference of task-induced activations. Data were analyzed using SPM2 and activation patterns of both tas…