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Abnormal cerebellar functional MRI connectivity in patients with paediatric multiple sclerosis
Sara Cirillo1, Maria A Rocca2, Angelo Ghezzi3
1Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the cerebellum is altered in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, correlating with disease duration and brain lesions. These changes may indicate early maladaptive plasticity contributing to cognitive impairment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Cerebellar involvement is increasingly recognized in MS, impacting motor and cognitive functions.
- Resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) offers insights into brain network alterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate RSFC of cerebellar dentate nuclei in pediatric MS patients.
- To explore correlations between dentate nuclei RSFC and clinical, neuropsychological, and structural MRI measures.
- To identify potential imaging biomarkers for cognitive impairment in pediatric MS.
Main Methods:
- RSFC analysis using a seed-region correlation approach (SPM8).
- Study included 48 pediatric MS patients and 27 healthy controls.
- Correlations assessed with clinical data, neuropsychological tests, and MRI measures.
Main Results:
- Paediatric MS patients showed altered RSFC between dentate nuclei and other brain regions compared to controls.
- Reduced RSFC was observed between the right dentate nuclei and bilateral caudate nuclei/left thalamus.
- Increased RSFC was noted between the right dentate nuclei and left precentral/postcentral gyri.
- Cognitively impaired patients exhibited reduced RSFC in parietal, frontal, and temporal lobes.
- Decreased RSFC correlated with longer disease duration and higher T2 lesion volume.
- Increased RSFC correlated with shorter disease duration, lower T2 lesion volume, and better motor performance.
Conclusions:
- Cerebellar RSFC modifications are present in pediatric MS.
- Disease duration and brain focal lesions influence these connectivity changes.
- Decreased RSFC may represent early maladaptive plasticity linked to cognitive deficits.
