Psychoradiologic white matter alterations in pediatric Type I bipolar disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most debilitating and recurrent mental illnesses globally. It is characterised by frequent mood swings, both high and low, and the behavioural, motivational, and cognitive changes that go along with them. In recent years, studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have brought attention to the crucial part white matter (WM) abnormalities play in BD. The aim of this study was to evaluate white matter integrity using DTI in children with Type I BD, comparing findings with a healthy control group. Results Children with Type I BD exhibited significantly lower FA values across multiple white matter tracts, including the anterior and posterior corona radiata (ACR,PCR), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi (SLF,ILF), cingulum (CING), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), fornix, corpus callosum (CC), and internal capsule (PLIC,ALIC) ( P < 0.001). The bipolar group also showed greater mean diffusivity than healthy individuals; statistically significant differences at ACR, PCR, SCR, SLF, ILF, CING, ATR, fornix, CC, ALIC and PLIC; ( P value < 0.001). Additionally, the patient group’s Radial Diffusivity (RD) was noticeably higher than the control group’s at ACR, PCR, SCR, SLF, ILF, CING, ATR, fornix and CC ( P value < 0.001), and was insignificantly different at ALIC and PLIC.Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) was significantly higher at patient group, this difference reached statistical significance in the ACR, PCR, SLF, ATR, CC, ALIC, and PLIC ( P value < 0.05) and was insignificantly different at ILF, CING, SCR, fornix and PCR between both groups. Conclusion Combining FA, MD, and RD parameters provided a comprehensive assessment of microstructural white matter changes in pediatric Type I BD, demonstrating DTI’s potential as a diagnostic tool.