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Gray matter atrophy cannot be fully explained by white matter damage in patients with MS
Jian Zhang1, Antonio Giorgio1, Claudia Vinciguerra1
1Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|January 25, 2020
Summary
In multiple sclerosis (MS), gray matter atrophy patterns are linked to white matter (WM) damage, but some cortical atrophy is independent of WM lesions. These patterns correlate with clinical disability and cognitive function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Source-based morphometry (SBM) identifies patterns of gray matter (GM) atrophy and white matter (WM) damage.
- Understanding inter-relationships of these patterns in multiple sclerosis (MS) is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the inter-relationship between GM atrophy and WM microstructural damage patterns in MS.
- To assess the clinical relevance of these identified patterns.
Main Methods:
- Applied SBM to GM concentration and fractional anisotropy (FA) images in MS patients and controls.
- Validated findings on an independent dataset.
- Correlated atrophy patterns with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and cognitive measures.
Main Results:
- Identified distinct patterns of GM atrophy and reduced FA in MS patients.
- Deep GM atrophy was strongly associated with WM lesion load and FA.
- Sensorimotor and posterior cortex atrophy showed partial independence from WM damage.
- All patterns correlated with EDSS scores; posterior GM atrophy correlated with processing speed.
Conclusions:
- In early MS, deep GM atrophy is closely linked to WM damage, while other cortical patterns may involve primary mechanisms.
- Identified atrophy patterns have clinical relevance, correlating with disability and cognition.
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