• Xiang-Xue Zhou, Xun-Hua Li, Ding-Bang Chen, Chao Wu, Li Feng, Jian-Ping Chu, Zhi-Yun Yang, Xin-Bei Li, Haolin Qin, Gui-Dian Li, Hai-Wei Huang, Ying-Ying Liang, and Xiu-Ling Liang.
• Department of Neurology The East Area of the First Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou China.
• Brain Behav. 2018 May 1; 8 (5): e00930.

ObjectiveTo investigate the cause of the motor asymmetry in Wilson's disease (WD) patients using functional MRI.MethodsFifty patients with WD and 20 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Neurological symptoms were scored using the modified Young Scale. All study subjects underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) of the brain. Six regions of interest (ROI) were chosen. Fiber volumes between ROIs on DTI, corrected phase (CP) values on SWI, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), and regional homogeneity (REHO) values on rs-fMRI were determined. Asymmetry index (right or left value/left or right value) was evaluated.ResultsAsymmetry of rigidity, tremor, choreic movement, and gait abnormality (asymmetry index = 1.33, 1.39, 1.36, 1.40), fiber tracts between the GP and substantia nigra (SN), GP and PU, SN and thalamus (TH), SN and cerebellum, head of the caudate nucleus (CA) and SN, PU and CA, CA and TH, TH and cerebellum (asymmetry index = 1.233, 1.260, 1.269, 1.437, 1.503, 1.138, 1.145, 1.279), CP values in the TH, SN (asymmetry index = 1.327, 1.166), ALFF values, and REHO values of the TH (asymmetry index = 1.192, 1.233) were found. Positive correlation between asymmetry index of rigidity and fiber volumes between the GP and SN, SN and TH (r = .221, .133, p = .043, .036), and tremor and fiber volumes between the CA and TH (r = .045, p = .040) was found.ConclusionsThe neurological symptoms of patients with WD were asymmetry. The asymmetry of fiber projections may be the main cause of motor asymmetry in patients with WD.

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