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Gray and white matter volume changes in early RRMS: a 2-year longitudinal study
M Tiberio1, D T Chard, D R Altmann
1NMR Research Unit, Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
Neurology
|March 23, 2005
Summary
Early in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), gray matter atrophy accelerates while white matter volume fluctuates with inflammatory lesions. This study tracked brain volume changes in RRMS patients over two years.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Multiple Sclerosis Research
Background:
- Brain atrophy, exceeding normal aging, is evident early in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
- Previous studies suggest faster gray matter (GM) atrophy compared to white matter (WM) atrophy in early RRMS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the progression of GM and WM volumes over two years in early RRMS patients.
- To investigate the association between these volume changes and lesion loads.
Main Methods:
- Studied 21 early RRMS patients and 10 healthy controls over two years.
- Estimated brain parenchymal fraction (BPF), GM fraction (GMF), and WM fraction (WMF) at baseline and follow-ups.
- Assessed brain lesion loads using MRI, including T2-weighted and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images.
Main Results:
- RRMS patients showed a significant decrease in GMF over two years compared to controls (-2.1% vs -1.0%, p=0.044).
- No significant change in WMF was observed overall in RRMS patients (-0.09% vs +0.09%, p=0.812).
- WMF decreased in patients with declining inflammatory lesions but increased in those with growing lesions (p=0.034).
Conclusions:
- Gray matter atrophy increases in early RRMS, unlike white matter atrophy.
- White matter volume changes appear linked to the dynamics of inflammatory lesions in RRMS.
