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Differential cerebellar activation on functional magnetic resonance imaging during working memory performance in
Yali Li1, Nancy D Chiaravalloti, Frank G Hillary
1Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, NY, USA.
Objective:
To explore the potential role of the cerebellum in working memory dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Design:
Blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine cerebellar activation during a working memory task.
Setting:
University-affiliated medical rehabilitation facility.
Participants:
Eight persons with MS and 5 healthy controls.
Interventions:
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures:
Change in hemodynamic response. fMRI data were acquired and subsequently analyzed by using Statistical Parametric Mapping.
Results:
Both the control and MS groups showed significantly greater activations in the right cerebellar hemisphere as compared with the left side. Persons with MS, however, showed no detectable activations in 4 cerebellar substructures that were significantly active in controls (ie, right vermis, right dentate nucleus, right tonsil, cerebellar peduncle).
Conclusions:
The significantly decreased cerebellar activation in the MS group suggests that the cerebellum may play a role in the working memory impairment observed in MS.