Neurologische Störungen

Structural Brain Sex Differences in Parkinson’s Disease: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

Abstract

Abdullah A Alqarni

The aim of this study was to identify the brain’s structural differences between males and females and how they relate to clinical manifestations of PD. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to detect the differences between both sexes in PD and in healthy controls (HC). Also, a Pearson correlation coefficient was used to correlate depression values to grey matter (GM) for PD and HC subjects and for males and females within each group. The VBM analysis results have shown large loss of cortical and subcortical regions in males compared to females in the PD and HC group. Moreover, multiple positive and negative correlations were found between depression and GM, and considered significant at P<0.05. In addition, in PD group, depression scores were correlated positively to the right amygdala in females and positively in males. These results can provide insights for clinicians and researchers who are investigating PD structural differences in males and females and how they might influence PD clinical appearance, changes in motor and non-motor areas might explain the clinical manifestations.