Tillema, J.M.a b , Hulst, H.E.c , Rocca, M.A.d e , Vrenken, H.f g , Steenwijk, M.D.a , Damjanovic, D.d , Enzinger, C.h i j , Ropele, S.h i j , Tedeschi, G.k l m , Gallo, A.k l m , Ciccarelli, O.n o , Rovira, A.p q , Montalban, X.q , De Stefano, N.r , Stromillo, M.L.r , Filippi, M.d e , Barkhof, F.a
Regional cortical thinning in multiple sclerosis and its relation with cognitive impairment: A multicenter study
(2016) Multiple Sclerosis, 22 (7), pp. 901-909.
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84973449787&partnerID=40&md5=b697f04f78d6bd745bb785e104b0b4b6
DOI: 10.1177/1352458515607650
AFFILIATIONS: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands;
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, United States;
Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center, Netherlands;
Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy;
Department of Neurology, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy;
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Netherlands;
Department of Physics and Medical Technology, VU University Medical Center, Netherlands;
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Austria;
Division of Neuroradiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria;
Department of Radiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria;
k)MRI Center SUN-FISM, Second University of Naples, Italy;
l)Institute of Diagnosis and Care Hermitage-Capodimonte, Italy;
m)Division of Neurology, Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Second University of Naples, Italy;
NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, United Kingdom;
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), University College London Hospital (UCLH), Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), United Kingdom;
Magnetic Resonance Unit, Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Spain;
Unitat de Neuroimmunologia Clinica, CEM-Cat, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Spain;
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Italy
ABSTRACT: Objectives: The objectives of this paper are to compare in a multicenter setting patterns of regional cortical thickness in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and cognitive impairment (CI) and those cognitively preserved (CP), and explore the relationship between cortical thinning and cognitive performance. Methods: T1-weighted isotropic brain scans were collected at 3T from seven European centers in 60 RRMS patients and 65 healthy controls (HCs). Patients underwent clinical and neuropsychological examinations. Cortical thickness (CTh) measures were calculated using FreeSurfer (failing in four) and both lobar and vertex-based general linear model (GLM) analyses were compared between study groups. Results: Twenty (36%) MS patients were classified as CI. Mean global CTh was smaller in RRMS patients compared to HCs (left 2.43 vs. 2.53 mm, right 2.44 vs. 2.54 mm, p < 0.001). Multivariate GLM regional analysis showed significantly more temporal thinning in CI compared to CP patients. Verbal memory scores correlated to regional cortical thinning in the insula whereas visual memory scores correlated to parietal thinning. Conclusions: This multicenter study showed mild global cortical thinning in RRMS. The extent of thinning is less pronounced than previously reported. Only subtle regional differences between CI and CP patients were observed, some of which related to specific cognitive domains. © SAGE Publications.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: cognitive impairment; cortical atrophy; MRI; Multiple sclerosis
DOCUMENT TYPE: Article
