Magnetic resonance tractography in ischemic stroke and Alzheimer’s disease

Magnetic resonance tractography is a modern method of visualizing the white matter of the brain in vivo. This method allows for a lifetime assessment of the microstructure of the pathways of the central nervous system normally and under the influence of various pathological processes in the form of compression, violation of integrity, breakage. The conductive tracts can change in acute, chronic cerebral circulatory disorders, injuries, demyelinating processes, neurodegenerative diseases, brain tumors and other diseases. Magnetic resonance tractography is widely used in scientific fields of medicine. For several decades, the patterns of changes in the structure of the pathways in certain diseases have been studied. This article provides a review and systematization of data on magnetic resonance tractography in ischemic stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, the regularities of morphological changes and diffusion characteristics of the white matter of the brain in these diseases are considered. In neurodegenerative pathology, magnetic resonance tractography makes it possible to diagnose chronic progressive brain dis eases in the early stages, which makes it possible to start treatment in a timely manner and reduce the rate of disease progression. In the case of an acute cerebrovascular event, with the help of this diagnostic method, it is possible to determine the degree of damage to the nerve fibers of the white matter, on the basis of which the reversibility of the pathological process is judged, a prognosis for the restoration of lost function is established, an individual rehabilitation treatment program is selected.