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Physical activity and dentate gyrus volume in pediatric acquired demyelinating syndromes
Giulia Longoni1, Robert A Brown1, Berengere Aubert-Broche1
1Division of Neurology, Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health (G.L., S.A.G., E.A.Y.), the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pediatrics (G.L., H.M.B., E.A.Y.), the University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; McConnell Brain Imaging Centre (R.A.B., B.A.-B., D.F., D.L.C., S.N., D.L.A.), Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Division of Medical Imaging (H.M.B.), the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy (R.W.M.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada; and Division of Neurology (B.B.), the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine (A.B.-O.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Insights
Higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is linked to increased dentate gyrus volume (DGv) in children recovering from monophasic acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADSs). Further research is needed for pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADSs) affect children, impacting the central nervous system (CNS).
- The dentate gyrus (DG) is crucial for learning and memory and may be affected in pediatric ADSs.
- Physical activity's role in brain development and recovery in pediatric CNS conditions is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and dentate gyrus volume (DGv).
- To compare DGv and MVPA levels in pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) versus monophasic ADSs (monoADS).
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of accelerometry and MRI data from 12 pediatric MS and 18 monoADS patients.
- Quantification of total brain and DG volume using standardized MRI analysis methods.
- Multivariable generalized linear models assessed the association between daily MVPA and normalized DGv (nDGv).
Main Results:
- Median MVPA was lower in MS patients compared to monoADS patients.
- No significant difference in nDGv was observed between MS and monoADS groups.
- In monoADS, each 1-minute increase in MVPA correlated with a 2.4 mm³ increase in nDGv, independent of other factors. No significant association was found in the MS group.
Conclusions:
- Increased MVPA is associated with greater nDGv in children who have recovered from monophasic demyelination.
- Further research is needed to determine if MVPA can promote brain development or limit tissue damage in youth with MS.
Objective:
To assess the association between daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and dentate gyrus volume (DGv) in pediatric patients with acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADSs) of the CNS.
Methods:
Cross-sectional analysis of accelerometry (7 days) and research protocol MRI data from 12 pediatric MS and 18 children with monophasic ADS (monoADS). Total brain and DGv were quantified using standardized methods. The association of daily minutes of MVPA with normalized DGv (nDGv) was assessed using multivariable generalized linear models.
Results:
Median (interquartile range) MVPA was lower in MS patients [9.5 (14)] and exhibited less variation than in monoADS patients [24.5 (47)]. nDGv did not differ significantly between groups [mean nDGv (SD) [cm3]: MS 0.34 (0.1); monoADS 0.4 (0.1); p = 0.100]. In the monoADS group, every 1-minute increase in MVPA was associated with a 2.4-mm3 increase in nDGv (p = 0.0017), an association that was independent of age at incident demyelination, time from incident demyelination, sex, and brain white matter T2 lesion volume. No significant association was found between MVPA and nDGv (-2.6 mm3/min, p = 0.16) in the MS group.
Conclusions:
Higher MVPA associates with greater nDGv in children who have recovered from monophasic demyelination. Larger studies are required to determine whether MVPA can promote regional brain development, or limit tissue damage, in youth with MS.
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