Volume estimation of the subcortical structures in Parkinson's disease using magnetic resonance imaging: A methodological study

摘要

Background & Objectives: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, beginning in the in the substantia nigra and spreading to the subcortical structures to the limbic cortices, and eventually to the neocortex and is characterized clinically by tremor at rest, bradykinesia, and rigidity. Regional brain atrophy is found to be an important marker of PD's pathology. The aim of the current study was to compare the volumes of subcortical brain structures between healthy subjects and patients with PD using stereological (point-counting) and semi-automated segmentation methods.