Abstract: P1067
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Imaging
Introduction: Atrophy of the cortical and subcortical gray matter is known to be an important biomarker of multiple sclerosis. However the contribution of the atrophy to various cognitive functions is not completely understood yet. In our investigation we aimed to identify the brain structural correlations of cognitive functions as measured by Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS).
Method: Fifthy-three MS patients were scanned on a 1.5 T GE scanner. High resolution T1 weighted and FLAIR images were acquired. Lesions were segmented manually on the FLAIR image. Gross gray, white matter and brain parenchymal fractions were estimated by SIENAX. Subcortical segmentation and volumetry were carried out by FIRST. The contribution of these MRI structural parameters (volume of the subcortical structures and total brain, gray matter and white matter volume) to cognitive dysfunction in the various tests was evaluated by stepwise regression analysis. The contribution of localized gray matter atrophy to cognitive dysfunction was evaluated with voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
Results: The lesion load did not correlate with the performance on any of the three tests. The VBM analysis indicated that performance on the brief visuospatial memory test (BVMT) and symbol digit modality test (SDMT) correlated with the gray matter density of the bilateral thalami, caudate nuclei, hippocampus, amygdalae, insulae, intraparietal sulcus and posterior cingulate. In case of the California verbal learning test (CVLT) test performance correlated with the gray matter density in the bilateral thalamus, caudate nucleus, hippocampus, calcarine sulcus. The regression analysis showed that the SDMT was most defined by the volume of the left caudate nucleus (R=0.32; p< 0.019). The volume of the right hippocampus influenced most the performance on the BVMT (R=0.335; p< 0.014). In case of the CVLT the volume of the right hippocampus was the most significant determinant (R=0.403; p< 0.003).
Conclusion: Our results indicate that the cognitive performance on various cognitive domains is defined by a common pattern of the subcortical gray matter atrophy. These structural MRI parameters are more significantly related to cognitive functions than the frequently measured brain parenchymal fractions or lesion load.
Disclosure: This paper was supported by the "Neuroscience Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and University of Szeged", by the project FNUSA-ICRC (no. CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0123) from the European Regional Development Fund, by European Union - project ICRC-ERA-Human Bridge (No. 316345), an OTKA [PD 104715] grant and the National Brain Research Program (Grant No. KTIA_13_NAP-A-II/20.).
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Abstract: P1067
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Imaging
Introduction: Atrophy of the cortical and subcortical gray matter is known to be an important biomarker of multiple sclerosis. However the contribution of the atrophy to various cognitive functions is not completely understood yet. In our investigation we aimed to identify the brain structural correlations of cognitive functions as measured by Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS).
Method: Fifthy-three MS patients were scanned on a 1.5 T GE scanner. High resolution T1 weighted and FLAIR images were acquired. Lesions were segmented manually on the FLAIR image. Gross gray, white matter and brain parenchymal fractions were estimated by SIENAX. Subcortical segmentation and volumetry were carried out by FIRST. The contribution of these MRI structural parameters (volume of the subcortical structures and total brain, gray matter and white matter volume) to cognitive dysfunction in the various tests was evaluated by stepwise regression analysis. The contribution of localized gray matter atrophy to cognitive dysfunction was evaluated with voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
Results: The lesion load did not correlate with the performance on any of the three tests. The VBM analysis indicated that performance on the brief visuospatial memory test (BVMT) and symbol digit modality test (SDMT) correlated with the gray matter density of the bilateral thalami, caudate nuclei, hippocampus, amygdalae, insulae, intraparietal sulcus and posterior cingulate. In case of the California verbal learning test (CVLT) test performance correlated with the gray matter density in the bilateral thalamus, caudate nucleus, hippocampus, calcarine sulcus. The regression analysis showed that the SDMT was most defined by the volume of the left caudate nucleus (R=0.32; p< 0.019). The volume of the right hippocampus influenced most the performance on the BVMT (R=0.335; p< 0.014). In case of the CVLT the volume of the right hippocampus was the most significant determinant (R=0.403; p< 0.003).
Conclusion: Our results indicate that the cognitive performance on various cognitive domains is defined by a common pattern of the subcortical gray matter atrophy. These structural MRI parameters are more significantly related to cognitive functions than the frequently measured brain parenchymal fractions or lesion load.
Disclosure: This paper was supported by the "Neuroscience Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and University of Szeged", by the project FNUSA-ICRC (no. CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0123) from the European Regional Development Fund, by European Union - project ICRC-ERA-Human Bridge (No. 316345), an OTKA [PD 104715] grant and the National Brain Research Program (Grant No. KTIA_13_NAP-A-II/20.).
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.