Demographic parameters in ALS and control groups.

<p>Demographic parameters in ALS and control groups.</p

Serotonin levels in ALS and control groups.

<p>Groups were compared using Mann-Whitney test and the p-value is shown.</p

Serotonin levels in ALS patients as a function of site of onset.

<p>Groups were compared using Kruskal Wallis test. *, p<0.05; **, p<0.01.</p

Correlation between platelet serotonin levels and survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

<p>Kaplan-Meyer survival curves of patients with ALS stratified according to their platelet serotonin levels. Survival was calculated as the time period between blood sampling and death. The black line represents patients with ALS having abnormal serotonin values (serotonin <50 ng/mL, n = 22 patients); light grey line represents patients with high normal values (serotonin >100 ng/mL i.e. median of control group, n = 25 patients), and light black line patients with borderline values (50–100 ng/mL, n = 35 patients). Group comparison shows a statistically significant difference (p = 0.024 by the log-rank).</p

Cervical spinal cord template and probability tissue map.

<p>(a) Coronal (left), sagittal (middle) and axial views (right) of the cervical spinal cord template through mid-vertebral level from C2 to C7. (b) Probability tissue map. Views are arranged in the same order and orientation as in (a). A, anterior; I, inferior, L, left, P, posterior, R, right; S, superior.</p

Segmented spinal cord regions for each group of subjects (Upper–Lower vertebral level limits).

<p>Segmented spinal cord regions for each group of subjects (Upper–Lower vertebral level limits).</p

Accuracy of mean cross-sectional area measured at C2 vertebral level.

<p>Manual segmentation by the experienced operator was the ground truth for accuracy measurements.</p><p>Accuracy of mean cross-sectional area measured at C2 vertebral level.</p

Results of the visual evaluation.

<p>*Asymptomatic syrinx revealed by the visual evaluation.</p><p>Results of the visual evaluation.</p

Criteria and scores for the visual evaluation.

<p>¹Insufficient to moderate overlap in at least 3 vertebral levels.</p><p>²Insufficient to moderate overlap in less than 3 vertebral levels.</p><p>³Global substantial overlap agreement.</p><p>⁴Global perfect overlap agreement.</p><p>Criteria and scores for the visual evaluation.</p

Global strategy of the analysis illustrating the times of sample collection, the parameters collected and the three main objectives of the study.

<p>Global strategy of the analysis illustrating the times of sample collection, the parameters collected and the three main objectives of the study.</p