Brain Stem Atrophy in PD

Regional Brain Stem Atrophy in idiopathic PD detected by anatomical MRI. 

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons of the subtantia nigra pars compacta, and clinically diagnosed on the basis of a motor symptomatology: tremor, rigidity and/or bradykynesia. 

Localization of the atrophy

A. Schematic initial progression of Lewy body deposits in the first stages of Parkinson's Disease, as proposed by Braak and colleagues. B. Localization of the cluster of significant volume reduction in PD compared with HC. The significant cluster located in the medulla oblongata/pons is superimposed as a red blob on the mean normalized anatomical scan of all participants. The axial and sagital sections are centered on the peak of significance (−1; −36; −49).