Contributions
Abstract: P872
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - MS symptoms
Aims: To investigate cortical thickness abnormalities associated with cognitive impairment and depression in a large cohort of MS patients.
Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted scans were acquired from 126 MS patients and 59 matched healthy controls. Patients with at least two abnormal tests at the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests were considered cognitively impaired (CI). Patients were classified as depressed (D) if their Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score was >9. Differences of cortical thickness between controls and MS patients and between patient subgroups were assessed using FreeSurfer.
Results: Sixty-five MS patients (51%) were classified as D, while 34 MS patients (27%) were CI. Fifteen patients had the concomitant presence of depression and cognitive impairment (12%). Compared with controls, MS patients exhibited a widespread bilateral cortical thinning involving all brain lobes. Compared with CP, CI MS patients had decreased cortical thickness in several bilateral regions of the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. Compared with non-D, D MS patients had cortical thinning of the frontal and temporal lobes. Cognitive impairment had a selective effect on cortical thinning of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral superior parietal lobule, left entorhinal cortex and right precuneus, whereas depression affected cortical thinning of the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and right temporal pole.
Conclusions: Cortical thickness analysis is able to detect specific effects of clinical symptoms on cortical atrophy in MS. While cognitive impairment seems to be associated with atrophy of regions located in the fronto-parietal lobes, depression is linked to atrophy of the orbitofrontal cortex.
This study has been partially supported by a grant from FISM 2011/R/19 and Italian Ministry of Health (GR-2009-1529671).
Disclosure: Drs Cacciaguerra, Valsasina, Pravatà, Riccitelli, Preziosa, and Falini have nothing to disclose.
Dr Rocca received speakers honoraria from Biogen Idec, Novartis and ExceMed and receives research support from the Italian Ministry of Health and Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla.
Prof. Comi has received consulting fees for participating on advisory boards from Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd, Sanofi, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Bayer, Actelion and honorarium for speaking activities for Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd, Sanofi, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Bayer, Biogen, Excemed.
Prof. Filippi is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurology; serves on scientific advisory boards for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries; has received compensation for consulting services and/or speaking activities from Biogen Idec, Excemed, Novartis, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries; and receives research support from Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Novartis, Italian Ministry of Health, Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla, Cure PSP, Alzheimer´s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), the Jacques and Gloria Gossweiler Foundation (Switzerland), and ARiSLA (Fondazione Italiana di Ricerca per la SLA).
Abstract: P872
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - MS symptoms
Aims: To investigate cortical thickness abnormalities associated with cognitive impairment and depression in a large cohort of MS patients.
Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted scans were acquired from 126 MS patients and 59 matched healthy controls. Patients with at least two abnormal tests at the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests were considered cognitively impaired (CI). Patients were classified as depressed (D) if their Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score was >9. Differences of cortical thickness between controls and MS patients and between patient subgroups were assessed using FreeSurfer.
Results: Sixty-five MS patients (51%) were classified as D, while 34 MS patients (27%) were CI. Fifteen patients had the concomitant presence of depression and cognitive impairment (12%). Compared with controls, MS patients exhibited a widespread bilateral cortical thinning involving all brain lobes. Compared with CP, CI MS patients had decreased cortical thickness in several bilateral regions of the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. Compared with non-D, D MS patients had cortical thinning of the frontal and temporal lobes. Cognitive impairment had a selective effect on cortical thinning of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral superior parietal lobule, left entorhinal cortex and right precuneus, whereas depression affected cortical thinning of the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and right temporal pole.
Conclusions: Cortical thickness analysis is able to detect specific effects of clinical symptoms on cortical atrophy in MS. While cognitive impairment seems to be associated with atrophy of regions located in the fronto-parietal lobes, depression is linked to atrophy of the orbitofrontal cortex.
This study has been partially supported by a grant from FISM 2011/R/19 and Italian Ministry of Health (GR-2009-1529671).
Disclosure: Drs Cacciaguerra, Valsasina, Pravatà, Riccitelli, Preziosa, and Falini have nothing to disclose.
Dr Rocca received speakers honoraria from Biogen Idec, Novartis and ExceMed and receives research support from the Italian Ministry of Health and Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla.
Prof. Comi has received consulting fees for participating on advisory boards from Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd, Sanofi, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Bayer, Actelion and honorarium for speaking activities for Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd, Sanofi, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Bayer, Biogen, Excemed.
Prof. Filippi is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurology; serves on scientific advisory boards for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries; has received compensation for consulting services and/or speaking activities from Biogen Idec, Excemed, Novartis, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries; and receives research support from Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Novartis, Italian Ministry of Health, Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla, Cure PSP, Alzheimer´s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), the Jacques and Gloria Gossweiler Foundation (Switzerland), and ARiSLA (Fondazione Italiana di Ricerca per la SLA).