Related Experiment Videos
Progressive grey matter atrophy in clinically early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
D T Chard1, C M Griffin, W Rashid
1NMR Research Unit, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|August 26, 2004
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients show early brain atrophy. Grey matter volume loss progresses over time in MS patients, unlike in normal aging, suggesting different atrophy rates.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Medical Research
Background:
- Brain atrophy exceeds normal aging in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Atrophy dynamics and tissue specificity in MS are not fully understood.
- Early observation of brain atrophy in MS clinical course.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolution of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume loss in MS patients.
- To compare brain atrophy rates between relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients and normal controls (NC).
- To investigate the temporal dynamics and tissue specificity of brain atrophy in early MS.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design with 13 RRMS subjects and 9 NC subjects.
- Brain imaging scans conducted every six months over an 18-month period.
- Quantification of GM and WM volume loss as fractions of total intracranial volumes.
Main Results:
- Significant baseline WM fractional volume differences in MS vs. NC subjects (-5.8%, P=0.008).
- No significant progressive WM tissue loss detected in MS patients over 18 months.
- Significantly greater time-related GM volume loss in MS patients compared to NC subjects over follow-up (P=0.010).
Conclusions:
- Both GM and WM atrophy are present early in MS.
- GM and WM atrophy may not occur concurrently in MS.
- Atrophy rates differ between GM and WM in early MS.