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FLAIR lesion volume in multiple sclerosis: relation to processing speed and verbal memory
John J Randolph1, Heather A Wishart, Andrew J Saykin
1Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756-0001, USA. john.j.randolph@dartmouth.edu
Summary
Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) total lesion volume (TLV) in multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to cognitive decline. Higher FLAIR TLV predicts slower processing speed and memory issues in MS patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neurology
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) frequently impacts cognitive functions, notably information processing speed and episodic memory.
- While structural neuroimaging offers insights, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences, sensitive to cortical and juxtacortical lesions, are underutilized for cognitive assessment in MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between volumetric FLAIR total lesion volume (TLV) and cognitive impairments in MS patients.
- To determine if FLAIR TLV can serve as a predictor of processing speed and verbal memory dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Twenty MS patients underwent FLAIR neuroimaging.
- Participants completed standardized assessments of verbal memory and processing speed.
- Correlational and regression analyses were employed to examine relationships between FLAIR TLV and cognitive measures.
Main Results:
- FLAIR total lesion volume (TLV) showed a direct and independent relationship with both processing speed and verbal memory performance.
- FLAIR TLV explained a significant 56% of the variance in cognitive performance among MS patients.
Conclusions:
- FLAIR TLV is a valuable volumetric index for predicting cognitive deficits in MS.
- FLAIR TLV demonstrates potential as a functionally relevant biomarker for assessing disease status and cognitive impact in multiple sclerosis.