Advanced Diffusion Detects Possible Myelin Changes in Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s Mouse Models and Treatment

Motivation: Myelin degeneration is implicated in many neurological diseases. Diffusion and susceptibility MRI provide metrics to assess myelin degeneration. Goal(s): Treatment can affect myelination in neurodegeneration and diffusion metrics can be used to follow these changes. Approach: After detailed registration to the Allen Atlas, we examined key white matter areas (corpus callosum, fornix). Results: We observed diffusivity increases and kurtosis/axonal water fraction decreases in AD mice. We also saw an inverse trend in HD mice. Interestingly, this was reversed by treatment and confirmed histologically. Impact: We find diffusion changes suggesting myelin loss in Alzheimer’s mice, and inverse changes in Huntington’s mice that are reversed by disease-modifying treatment and confirmed histologically. Advanced diffusion metrics can be useful biomarkers to monitor myelin changes and treatment in neurodegeneration.