• Carlos R Hernandez-Castillo, Israel Vaca-Palomares, Víctor Galvez, Aurelio Campos-Romo, Rosalinda Diaz, and Juan Fernandez-Ruiz.
• 1Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología - Cátedras - Instituto de Neuroetología,Universidad Veracruzana,México.
• J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2016 Apr 1; 22 (4): 486-91.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cognitive and white matter deterioration in a group of participants with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2).MethodsFourteen genetically confirmed participants with SCA2 and 14 aged-matched controls participated in the study. Diffusion tensor imaging tract-based spatial statistics were performed to analyze structural white matter integrity. Significant group differences in the mean diffusivity were correlated with SCA2 cognitive deficits.ResultsOur analysis revealed higher mean diffusivity in the SCA2 group in cerebellar white matter, medial lemniscus, and middle cerebellar peduncle, among other regions. Cognitive scores correlated with white matter mean diffusivity in the parahippocampal area, inferior frontal and supramarginal gyri and the stria terminalis.ConclusionsOur findings show significant correlations between white matter microstructural damage in key areas affected in SCA2 and cognitive deficits. These findings result in a more comprehensive understanding of the effect of the neurodegenerative process in people with SCA2.

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