The contribution of MRI in assessing cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis
- 7 December 2010
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Neurology
- Vol. 75 (23), 2121-2128
- https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e318200d768
Abstract
Cognitive impairment affects a large proportion of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and has a profound impact on their daily-life activities. Improving the knowledge of the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in MS and of the mechanisms responsible for its evolution over time might contribute to development of better outcome measures and targets for innovative treatment strategies. Due to their ability to detect MS-related abnormalities, MRI techniques are a valuable tool to achieve these goals. Following an updated overview of the assessment methods and profile of cognitive impairment in patients with MS, this review provides a state-of-the-art summary of the main results obtained from the application of conventional and modern magnetic resonance– based techniques to quantify MS-related damage, in terms of macroscopic lesions, as well as involvement of the normal-appearing white matter and gray matter and their association with cognitive impairment. The possible role of brain cortical reorganization in limiting the clinical consequences of disease-related damage is also discussed. Finally, the utility of the previous techniques to monitor the progression of cognitive deficits over time and the efficacy of possible therapeutic strategies is considered.This publication has 61 references indexed in Scilit:
- Functional Alterations in Memory Networks in Early Alzheimer’s DiseaseNeuroMolecular Medicine, 2010
- Long-term effect of early treatment with interferon beta-1b after a first clinical event suggestive of multiple sclerosis: 5-year active treatment extension of the phase 3 BENEFIT trialThe Lancet Neurology, 2009
- APOE-ε4 is not associated with cognitive impairment in relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosisMultiple Sclerosis Journal, 2009
- Apolipoprotein genotype does not influence MS severity, cognition, or brain atrophyNeurology, 2009
- Accumulation of cortical lesions in MS: relation with cognitive impairmentMultiple Sclerosis Journal, 2009
- Genotype–Phenotype correlations in multiple sclerosis: HLA genes influence disease severity inferred by 1HMR spectroscopy and MRI measuresBrain, 2009
- MRI in multiple sclerosis: current status and future prospectsThe Lancet Neurology, 2008
- Cognitive impairment in relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis can be predicted by imaging performed several years earlierMultiple Sclerosis Journal, 2007
- Localized grey matter damage in early primary progressive multiple sclerosis contributes to disabilityNeuroImage, 2007
- Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.Neurology, 1991