Structural and functional brain alterations in patients with myasthenia gravis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Autoimmune Diseases

Background:

• Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder impacting neuromuscular junctions and causing muscle weakness.
• Associated symptoms include systemic inflammation, cognitive deficits, and autonomic dysfunction.
• Limited understanding exists regarding brain reorganization in MG patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate structural and functional brain alterations in myasthenia gravis patients.
• To identify specific brain regions affected by MG.
• To correlate brain changes with cognitive performance and biomarker levels.

Main Methods:

• Compared 11 MG patients with 11 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls.
• Utilized voxel-based morphometry on T1-weighted MRI scans for structural analysis.
• Assessed cognitive functions (attention, memory, executive functions), spatial orientation, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels.

Main Results:

• MG patients showed significant grey matter reductions in the cingulate gyrus, inferior parietal lobe, and fusiform gyrus.
• Demonstrated lower performance in executive functions, working memory, and verbal episodic memory.
• Exhibited deficits in somatosensory-related spatial orientation.
• Reported significantly higher serum BDNF levels compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Myasthenia gravis is associated with significant structural and functional brain changes.
• Grey matter reductions in the cingulate gyrus and inferior parietal lobe may underlie cognitive deficits.
• Further research with larger cohorts is required to validate findings and explore underlying mechanisms.