Abstract Details

Title Decreased Activation of Deep Grey Matter Structures in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Without Cognitive Deficits

Topic Multiple Sclerosis

Presentation(s) P1 - Poster Session 1 (12:00 PM-1:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 9-003

Objective To analyze deep grey matter (DGM) function in a group of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) without cognitive deficits.

Background Cognitive deficits are present in up to 70% of patients with MS. These deficits are associated with structural damage of the DGM, widely distributed cortical recruitment and changes in functional connectivity. We hypothesized that functional changes in the DGM are present before the onset of cognitive deficits.

Design/Methods Eighteen patients (13 females; 42.0 ± 11.0 years; EDSS: 1.3 ± 1.2; disease duration: 8.1 ± 6.6 years) were compared with controls. All patients were on DMD (Interferon beta 1a/b or teriflunomide). Activation of the DGM was measured by fMRI during modified Attention Network Task (ANT). FMRI data were analyzed using FEAT and PALM (FSL 5.0.9, FMRIB Software Library, Oxford). ROI were the hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus, nucleus caudate, pallidum and putamen. The contrast was defined as the difference between “hit an incongruent task” and the average of “hit a congruent task” and “hit a neutral task”.

Results Reaction times were increased to neutral and congruent tasks, and incongruent tasks in patients. Reaction times to incongruent tasks were longer than to neutral and congruent tasks in all study subjects. In controls, fMRI activation was found in the anterior cingulate cortex, nucleus caudate, hippocampus, pallidum and thalamus. In patients, fMRI activation was found only in the thalamus. Patients showed decreased fMRI activation in the hippocampus, pallidum and anterior cingulate cortex compared with controls.

Conclusions The results of the study suggest that patients with RRMS without cognitive deficits have prolonged reaction times to various tasks. Furthermore, fMRI findings indicate that functional changes in DGM structures are present before the onset of cognitive deficits in these patients.

Authors/Disclosures
Martin Berghoff, MD, FAAN (BundeswehrZentralkrankenhaus Koblenz) PRESENTER	Dr. Berghoff has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Biogen Idec. Dr. Berghoff has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Roche. Dr. Berghoff has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Janssen. Dr. Berghoff has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for MerckSerono. Dr. Berghoff has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Bristol Myers Squibb.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
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Bianca Gunther (UKGM, Standort Giessen, Neurologie)	No disclosure on file