TY - JOUR
T1 - Thalamic-hippocampal-prefrontal disruption in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
AU - Kern, Kyle C.
AU - Gold, Stefan M.
AU - Lee, Brian
AU - Montag, Michael
AU - Horsfall, Jessica
AU - O'Connor, Mary Frances
AU - Sicotte, Nancy L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2015/6/8
Y1 - 2015/6/8
N2 - Background Cortical, thalamic and hippocampal gray matter atrophy in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is associated cognitive deficits. However, the role of interconnecting white matter pathways including the fornix, cingulum, and uncinate fasciculus (UF) is less well studied. Objective To assess MS damage to a hippocampal-thalamic-prefrontal network and the relative contributions of its components to specific cognitive domains. Methods We calculated diffusion tensor fractional anisotropy (FA) in the fornix, cingulum and UF as well as thalamic and hippocampal volumes in 27 RRMS patients and 20 healthy controls. A neuropsychological battery was administered and 4 core tests known to be sensitive to MS changes were used to assess cognitive impairment. To determine the relationships between structure and cognition, all tests were grouped into 4 domains: attention/executive function, processing speed, verbal memory, and spatial memory. Univariate correlations with structural measures and depressive symptoms identified potential contributors to cognitive performance and subsequent linear regression determined their relative effects on performance in each domain. For significant predictors, we also explored the effects of laterality and axial versus radial diffusivity. Results RRMS patients had worse performance on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, but no significant impairment in the 4 cognitive domains. RRMS had reduced mean FA of all 3 pathways and reduced thalamic and hippocampal volumes compared to controls. In RRMS we found that thalamic volume and BDI predicted attention/executive function, UF FA predicted processing speed, thalamic volume predicted verbal memory, and UF FA and BDI predicted spatial memory. Conclusions Hippocampal-thalamic-prefrontal disruption affects cognitive performance in early RRMS with mild to minimal cognitive impairment, confirming both white and gray matter involvement in MS and demonstrating utility in assessing functional networks to monitor cognition.
AB - Background Cortical, thalamic and hippocampal gray matter atrophy in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is associated cognitive deficits. However, the role of interconnecting white matter pathways including the fornix, cingulum, and uncinate fasciculus (UF) is less well studied. Objective To assess MS damage to a hippocampal-thalamic-prefrontal network and the relative contributions of its components to specific cognitive domains. Methods We calculated diffusion tensor fractional anisotropy (FA) in the fornix, cingulum and UF as well as thalamic and hippocampal volumes in 27 RRMS patients and 20 healthy controls. A neuropsychological battery was administered and 4 core tests known to be sensitive to MS changes were used to assess cognitive impairment. To determine the relationships between structure and cognition, all tests were grouped into 4 domains: attention/executive function, processing speed, verbal memory, and spatial memory. Univariate correlations with structural measures and depressive symptoms identified potential contributors to cognitive performance and subsequent linear regression determined their relative effects on performance in each domain. For significant predictors, we also explored the effects of laterality and axial versus radial diffusivity. Results RRMS patients had worse performance on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, but no significant impairment in the 4 cognitive domains. RRMS had reduced mean FA of all 3 pathways and reduced thalamic and hippocampal volumes compared to controls. In RRMS we found that thalamic volume and BDI predicted attention/executive function, UF FA predicted processing speed, thalamic volume predicted verbal memory, and UF FA and BDI predicted spatial memory. Conclusions Hippocampal-thalamic-prefrontal disruption affects cognitive performance in early RRMS with mild to minimal cognitive impairment, confirming both white and gray matter involvement in MS and demonstrating utility in assessing functional networks to monitor cognition.
KW - Cognition
KW - Diffusion tensor imaging
KW - Limbic system
KW - MRI
KW - Memory
KW - Multiple sclerosis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.12.015
DO - 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.12.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 26106524
AN - SCOPUS:84930659224
SN - 2213-1582
VL - 8
SP - 440
EP - 447
JO - NeuroImage: Clinical
JF - NeuroImage: Clinical
ER -