Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
Dynamic Visual Tests to Identify and Quantify Visual Damage and Repair Following Demyelination in Optic Neuritis Patients
Published on: April 14, 2014
Optical coherence tomography reflects clinically relevant gray matter damage in patients with multiple sclerosis
Alessandro Cagol1,2,3, Nuria Cerdá Fuertes1,2,3, Marc Stoessel1,2,3
1Translational Imaging in Neurology (ThINK) Basel, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell/inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) correlate with brain volume loss and disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. These OCT findings highlight neurodegeneration and support their use in assessing MS progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Radiology
Background:
- Retinal degeneration and optical coherence tomography (OCT) changes are common in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Understanding the relationship between retinal changes and broader neurological impact is crucial for MS management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between OCT-derived retinal measures and MRI-defined brain volume loss in patients with MS (PwMS).
- To explore the link between OCT changes, brain volume, and physical/cognitive impairment in PwMS.
Main Methods:
- 95 PwMS and 52 controls underwent OCT and MRI scans.
- Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness and ganglion cell/inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) volume were measured.
- Associations with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and MRI metrics were analyzed using multivariable regression.
Main Results:
- PwMS showed associations between pRNFL/GCIPL and whole brain, gray matter, thalamus, and cerebral cortex volumes.
- Retinal measures correlated inversely with T2-lesion volume, particularly in optic radiations.
- Brain regions affected by volume loss linked to disability (EDSS, SDMT) overlapped with those correlating with pRNFL/GCIPL.
Conclusions:
- OCT measures (pRNFL, GCIPL) reflect gray matter integrity in PwMS.
- OCT findings are valuable markers for neurodegeneration and disability assessment in multiple sclerosis.
- These results underscore the utility of OCT in monitoring MS progression and impact.
