Objective: To investigate which area of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) is associated with motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) independently of dopaminergic depletion.

Background: WMH are associated with more severe motor symptom in patients with PD, however, it is unclear which anatomical area is associated with motor symptom.

Method: We analyzed the medical data of patients with de novo PD who underwent dopamine transporter positron emission tomography scan and magnetic resonance image at their first visit. The WMH in deep white matter (DWMH) and periventricular (PVH) areas were scored with a visual rating scale, and motor symptom was assessed by UPDRS motor score and its subscores for tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and axial symptom. The influence of WMH was explored using multivariate linear regression models.

Results: A total of 93 subjects (mean age, 67.2 ± 9.9 years; 44 male, 47.3%) were included and the mean UPDRS motor score was 25.0 ± 10.8. Both DWMH and PVH scores were correlated with age, UPDRS motor score, and subscores for bradykinesia and axial symptom. Multivariate linear regression models including age and dopamine transporter activity revealed that PVH score but not DWMH was significantly associated with subscore for axial symptom.

Conclusion: These results demonstrate that PVH are correlated with axial symptom in patients with PD independently of the severity of dopamine depletion, suggesting that axial symptom was closely associated with change of periventricular structure in patients with PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/periventricular-hyperintensities-and-axial-symptom-of-parkinsons-disease/