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Imaging correlates of pathology in corticobasal syndrome
Whitwell JL, Jack CR, Boeve BF, Parisi JE, Ahlskog JE, Drubach DA, Senjem ML, Knopman DS et al.. Neurology, 2010-11-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) can be associated with different underlying pathologies that are difficult to predict based on clinical presentation. The aim of this study was to determine whether patterns of atrophy on imaging could be useful to help predict underlying pathology in CBS. Methods This was a case-control study of 24 patients with CBS who had undergone MRI during life and came to autopsy. Pathologic diagnoses included frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) with TDP-43 immunoreactivity in 5 (CBS-TDP), Alzheimer disease (AD) in 6 (CBS-AD), corticobasal degeneration in 7 (CBS-CBD), and progressive supranuclear palsy in 6 (CBS-PSP). Voxel-based morphometry and atlas-based parcellation were used to assess atrophy across the CBS groups and compared to 24 age- and gender-matched controls. Results All CBS pathologic groups showed gray matter loss in premotor cortices, supplemental motor area, and insula on imaging. However, CBS-TDP and CBS-AD showed more widespread patterns of loss, with frontotemporal loss observed in CBS-TDP and temporoparietal loss observed in CBS-AD. CBS-TDP showed significantly greater loss in prefrontal cortex than the other groups, whereas CBS-AD showed significantly greater loss in parietal lobe than the other groups. The focus of loss was similar in CBS-CBD and CBS-PSP, although more severe in CBS-CBD. Conclusions Imaging patterns of atrophy in CBS vary according to pathologic diagnosis. Widespread atrophy points toward a pathologic diagnosis of FTLD-TDP or AD, with frontotemporal loss suggesting FTLD-TDP and temporoparietal loss suggesting AD. On the contrary, more focal atrophy predominantly involving the premotor and supplemental motor area suggests CBD or PSP pathology.
Key findings
- Background Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) can be associated with different underlying pathologies that are difficult to predict based on clinical presentation.
- Voxel-based morphometry and atlas-based parcellation were used to assess atrophy across the CBS groups and compared to 24 age- and gender-matched controls.
- Results All CBS pathologic groups showed gray matter loss in premotor cortices, supplemental motor area, and insula on imaging.
- CBS-TDP showed significantly greater loss in prefrontal cortex than the other groups, whereas CBS-AD showed significantly greater loss in parietal lobe than the other groups.
Why it matters
In this case-control study of 24 patients with corticobasal syndrome who came to autopsy, different underlying pathologies showed somewhat different patterns of brain atrophy on MRI. It is about predicting pathology in a related syndrome, not about treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcase-control study
- Participants24
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a case-control study. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 6 / 12 | A case-control study |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 24 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 247 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.7 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 38 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Keith A. Josephs: h-index 119 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21098403) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Whitwell, J. L., Jack, C. R., Boeve, B. F., Parisi, J. E., Ahlskog, J. E., Drubach, D. A., et al. (2010). Imaging correlates of pathology in corticobasal syndrome. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181feb2e8
Vancouver
Whitwell JL, Jack CR, Boeve BF, Parisi JE, Ahlskog JE, Drubach DA, et al. Imaging correlates of pathology in corticobasal syndrome. Neurology. 2010. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181feb2e8. PMID: 21098403.
BibTeX
@article{whitwell2010-21098403,
author = {Whitwell, J. L. and Jack, C. R. and Boeve, B. F. and Parisi, J. E. and Ahlskog, J. E. and Drubach, D. A. and Senjem, M. L. and Knopman, D. S. and others},
title = {{Imaging correlates of pathology in corticobasal syndrome}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181feb2e8},
pmid = {21098403},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181feb2e8}
}
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