Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39841674›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

In vivo mapping of sodium homeostasis disturbances in individual ALS patients: A brain 23Na MRI study.

Aude-Marie Grapperon, Mohamed Mounir El Mendili, Adil Maarouf, Jean-Philippe Ranjeva, Maxime Guye, Annie Verschueren, Shahram Attarian, Wafaa Zaaraoui

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Potential Roles of Neuroimaging in Motor Neuron Disease.Current neurology and neuroscience reports · 2026
    Review
  3. New developments in imaging in ALS.Journal of neurology · 2025
    Review
  4. Article
  5. 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

8 authors.

Aude-Marie GrapperonCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0002-4196-9374
Mohamed Mounir El MendiliCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.
Adil MaaroufCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.
Jean-Philippe RanjevaCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0001-8073-102X
Maxime GuyeCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0002-4435-2257
Annie VerschuerenCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.
Shahram AttarianAPHM, Hȏpital de la Timone, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, ERN EURO-NMD, Marseille, France.
Wafaa ZaaraouiCNRS, CRMBM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by significant heterogeneity among patients. 23Na MRI maps abnormal sodium homeostasis that reflects metabolic alterations and energetic failure contributing to the neurodegenerative process. In this study, we investigated disease severity at the individual level in ALS patients using brain 23Na MRI.

methods1H and 23Na brain MRI were collected prospectively from 28 ALS patients. Individual map of abnormal total sodium concentration (TSC) was computed using voxel-based statistical mapping for each patient compared to a local database of 62 healthy controls. Clinical data included the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R), ALSFRS-R slope, ALSFRS-R at 6-month and survival time.

resultsIndividual maps quantifying voxels with TSC increase evidenced a high heterogeneity between patients consistent with clinical presentation. The main areas involved were the corticospinal tracts. Half of patients showed abnormal TSC increase within more than 1% of whole brain voxels. Patients with TSC increase had worse clinical severity: higher ALSFRS-R slope (p = 0.02), lower ALSFRS-R at 6-month (p = 0.04), and shorter survival (p = 0.04). ALS patients with limited TSC increase had slower progression of disability or predominant lower motor neuron phenotype or shorter disease duration. DISCUSSION: This study mapping sodium homeostasis disturbances at the individual level in ALS patients through 23Na MRI evidenced heterogeneity of TSC increase among patients associated with clinical presentation and disease severity. These findings suggest that TSC increase detected at the individual level by 23Na MRI may be a useful marker of the clinical heterogeneity of ALS patients, a factor that is likely to greatly influence the results of therapeutic trials.

Indexed as

Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisBrainHomeostasisMagnetic Resonance ImagingSodiumAdultAgedBrain MappingFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSodium IsotopesSodiumSodium Isotopes

Identifiers

PMID39841674
PMCPMC11753670

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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.