Mesial temporal lobe and subcortical grey matter volumes differentially predict memory across stages of multiple
James F Sumowski1, Victoria M Leavitt2, Maria A Rocca3
1Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA/Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
Background/Objective:
Memory deficits due to multiple sclerosis (MS) have been variably linked to lower subcortical grey matter (SCGM) and mesial temporal lobe (MTL) volumes. We investigated which is the better predictor and whether this changes across disease stages.
Methods/Results:
Memory was assessed in 315 patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measured volumes of total brain, grey matter, white matter, MTL (hippocampus, amygdala) and SCGM (thalamus, caudate). MTL predicted memory in the total sample and in patients with earlier (<10 years) or later (⩾10 years) relapsing disease. SCGM (specifically thalamus) predicted memory in progressive patients.
Conclusions:
Neuroanatomical correlates of memory deficits differ across disease stages.
Insights
Mesial temporal lobe volume best predicts memory in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients overall. However, subcortical grey matter, specifically the thalamus, becomes a stronger predictor in progressive MS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Memory deficits are common in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Previous studies have variably linked these deficits to reduced volumes in subcortical grey matter (SCGM) and mesial temporal lobe (MTL) structures.
- The relative contribution of SCGM and MTL to memory impairment in MS remains unclear and may vary with disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine whether SCGM or MTL volume is a better predictor of memory performance in MS patients.
- To investigate if the neuroanatomical predictors of memory change across different stages of MS.
Main Methods:
- Memory function was assessed in 315 patients with MS.
- Brain structure volumes were quantified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including total brain, grey matter, white matter, MTL (hippocampus, amygdala), and SCGM (thalamus, caudate).
Main Results:
- Mesial temporal lobe (MTL) volume significantly predicted memory performance in the overall MS sample.
- MTL volume also predicted memory in patients with early (<10 years) and late (≥10 years) relapsing-remitting MS.
- Subcortical grey matter (SCGM) volume, particularly the thalamus, emerged as a significant predictor of memory in patients with progressive MS.
Conclusions:
- The neuroanatomical basis of memory deficits in MS is stage-dependent.
- MTL structures are key correlates of memory in earlier disease stages, while SCGM (thalamus) becomes more critical in progressive MS.
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