Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39757380›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of neurology2025

Substantia nigra degeneration in spinocerebellar ataxia 2 and 7 using neuromelanin-sensitive imaging.

Lydia Chougar, Giulia Coarelli, François-Xavier Lejeune, Pia Ziegner, Rahul Gaurav, Emma Biondetti, Sabrina Sayah, Rania Hilab, Alain Dagher, Alexandra Durr and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Lydia ChougarInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.ORCID 0000-0001-9306-5687
Giulia CoarelliInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
François-Xavier LejeuneInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
Pia ZiegnerInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
Rahul GauravInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
Emma BiondettiDepartment of Neurosciences, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University 'G. D'Annunzio' of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Sabrina SayahInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
Rania HilabInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
Alain DagherThe Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Alexandra DurrInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.
Stéphane LehéricyInstitut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm 1127, CNRS 7225, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière Paris, Paris, France.

Funding

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale NCT04288128
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSpinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are neurodegenerative diseases with widespread lesions across the central nervous system. Ataxia and spasticity are usually predominant, but patients may also present with parkinsonism. We aimed to characterize substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) degeneration in SCA2 and 7 using neuromelanin-sensitive imaging.

methodsAtaxic and preataxic expansion carriers with SCA2 (n=15) and SCA7 (n=15) and healthy controls (n=10) were prospectively recruited. Volume and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values of the SNc were extracted from neuromelanin-sensitive images. ROC curves were used to determine the metrics that best differentiated SCA participants. Correlations between imaging measurements, clinical variables, and plasma neurofilaments light chain (NfL) levels were investigated.

resultsSCA2 participants had lower SNR values in the SNc than controls (110.2 ± 1.3 versus 113.2 ± 1.4; p < 0.001) and those with SCA7 (112.5 ± 2.1; p < 0.01). SNR in SCA7 participants and controls did not differ. In ataxic patients, SNc volumes were lower in SCA2 (0.13 ± 0.04; p = 0.06) and SCA7 (0.10 ± 0.03, p = 0.02) patients compared to controls (0.17 ± 0.04). Signal decrease was detected at the preataxic stage in SCA2, but not in SCA7. SCA2 participants showed prominent involvement of the associative and limbic nigral territories. SNR discriminated ataxic and preataxic SCA2 participants from controls (AUC ≥0.94). SNc volume differentiated ataxic SCA7 participants from controls (AUC = 1), but not preataxic ones. In SCA7, correlations were observed between SNc volume and time to onset, CAG repeats, clinical severity scores, and NfL.

conclusionsNeuromelanin-sensitive imaging provides biomarkers of nigral degeneration in SCAs, detectable from the preataxic stage in SCA2, which could potentially serve as outcome measures in clinical trials.

Indexed as

MelaninsSpinocerebellar AtaxiasSubstantia NigraAdultAgedFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNerve DegenerationMelaninsneuromelaninbiomarkerMRIneuromelaninparkinsonismspinocerebellar ataxiasubstantia nigra

Identifiers

PMID39757380
PMCPMC11702373

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.