Degeneration and atrophy of the corpus callosum in patients with Binswanger's disease

Abstract

We investigated the structural changes of the corpus callosum in patients with Binswanger's disease (BD) employing the magnetization transfer (MT) imaging technique. Patients with BD revealed significant decreases in the areas of the anterior and posterior portions of the corpus callosum. The MT ratios were significantly lower in the middle portion of the corpus callosum without definite atrophy, as well as in the anterior and posterior portions, in patients with BD when compared to the controls. Significant correlations ex-isted between the MT ratio in the periventricular white matter lesions and area of the corpus callosum, and between the HDS-R score and MT ratio and area in the anterior portion of the corpus callosum. These find-ings probably reflected structural changes in the corpus callosum including axonal loss and/or demyelination, resulting from white matter damage. Moreover, the structural changes in the anterior portion of the corpus callosum associated with frontal white matter damage may reflect the severity of cognitive impairment.