Gray matter abnormalities in Tourette Syndrome: a meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies

Abstract

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurobehavioral disorder for which the neurological mechanism has not been elucidated. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies have revealed abnormalities in gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with TS; however, consistent results have not been obtained. The current study attempted to provide a voxel wise meta-analysis of gray matter changes using seed-based d mapping (SDM). We identified ten relevant studies that investigated gray matter alterations in TS patients and performed a meta-analysis using the SDM method to quantitatively estimate regional gray matter abnormalities. Next, we examined the relationships between GMV abnormalities and demographic and clinical characteristics. Our results demonstrated that TS patients had smaller GMV in the bilateral inferior frontal gyri and greater GMV in the cerebellum, right striatum (putamen), and bilateral thalami (pulvinar nucleus) than healthy controls. A meta-regression analysis did not identify correlations between GMV changes and demographic or clinical variables. This meta-analysis confirmed significant and consistent GMV changes in several brain regions of TS patients, primarily in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical network.

Fig. 1. Search strategy used for the inclusion of the studies considered in the current meta-analysis.

Abbreviation: VBM voxel-based morphometry.

Fig. 2. Regions showing gray matter volume alterations in TS patients compared with healthy controls.

Abbreviation: TS Tourette syndrome, L left, R right, IFG inferior frontal gyrus, Pu the pulvinar nucleus, Th thalamus.