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Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
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Microstructural changes precede depression in patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Frank Riemer1,2, Ellen Skorve3,4, Ofer Pasternak5,6
1Mohn Medical Imaging and Visualization Centre (MMIV), Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway. f.riemer@web.de.
Communications Medicine
|June 22, 2023
Summary
Early brain changes in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are linked to later depression. Higher free water in subcortical MS lesions predicts depression symptoms, highlighting a key relationship.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) brain lesions can cause cognitive and mood disturbances.
- Early microstructural changes in subcortical volumes may precede emotional dysfunction in MS patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the temporal relationship between early subcortical microstructural changes and cognitive/emotional function in relapsing-remitting MS.
- To explore how early MRI-derived metrics predict later mood states in MS.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal in vivo MRI (3 years) in 46 relapsing-remitting MS patients.
- Assessed subcortical microstructural changes using free water fraction (FW-MRI).
- Correlated FW-MRI metrics with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores using predictive modeling.
Main Results:
- Baseline free water estimates in subcortical structures correlated with depression scores at 2-year follow-up.
- Thalamus FW-MRI showed the largest effect size in predicting depression.
- Significant FW-MRI differences observed in thalamus and amygdala/hippocampus between high and low depression groups.
Conclusions:
- Elevated free water in early-stage MS subcortical structures is associated with later depression symptoms.
- This finding suggests FW-MRI can identify individuals at risk for depression in MS.
