Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 1, 2025
Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
Differential vulnerability of thalamic nuclei in multiple sclerosis
Simon Blyau1, Ismail Koubiyr2, Manojkumar Saranathan3
1Neuroimagerie diagnostique et thérapeutique, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
Objectives:
Investigating differential vulnerability of thalamic nuclei in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods:
In a secondary analysis of prospectively collected datasets, we pooled 136 patients with MS or clinically isolated syndrome and 71 healthy controls all scanned with conventional 3D-T1 and white-matter-nulled magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (WMn-MPRAGE) and tested for cognitive performance. T1-based thalamic segmentation was compared with the reference WMn-MPRAGE method. Volumes of thalamic nuclei were compared according to clinical phenotypes and cognitive profile.
Results:
T1- and WMn-MPRAGE provided comparable segmentations (0.84 ± 0.13 < volume-similarity-index < 0.95 ± 0.03). Medial and posterior thalamic groups were significantly more affected than anterior and lateral groups. Cognitive impairment related to volume loss of the anterior group.
Conclusion:
Thalamic nuclei closest to the third ventricle are more affected, with cognitive consequences.
