Wallerian and trans-synaptic degeneration contribute to optic radiation damage in multiple sclerosis: a diffusion tensor MRI study

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 1610-1617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A Rocca ◽  
Sarlota Mesaros ◽  
Paolo Preziosa ◽  
Elisabetta Pagani ◽  
Tatjana Stosic-Opincal ◽  
...  

Background: Optic radiation (OR) damage occurs in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the contribution of local and distant mechanisms associated with OR damage in MS. Methods: Diffusion tensor (DT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tractography probability maps of the ORs were derived from 102 MS patients and 11 controls. Between-group differences of OR normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) damage and topographical distribution of OR damage were assessed using quantitative and voxel-wise analyses, considering the influence of previous optic neuritis (ON+) and T2 OR lesions (T2 OR+). Results: OR NAWM diffusivity abnormalities were more severe in ON+ patients vs patients without previous optic neuritis (ON–) and T2 OR+ vs T2 OR– patients. Damage to the anterior portions of the ORs was more severe in ON+ vs ON– patients. Compared to controls and T2 OR– patients, T2 OR+ patients experienced a more distributed pattern of DT MRI abnormalities along the ORs, with an increased axial diffusivity limited to the anterior portions of the ORs. In T2 OR+ group, ON+ vs ON– patients showed DT MRI abnormalities in the middle portion of the ORs, in correspondence with focal lesions. OR damage correlated with OR T2 lesion volume, visual dysfunction and optic nerve atrophy. Conclusions: Both trans-synaptic degeneration secondary to optic nerve damage and Wallerian degeneration due to local T2 lesions contribute to OR damage in MS.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 205521731985603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Feng ◽  
Erik Offerman ◽  
Jian Lin ◽  
Elizabeth Fisher ◽  
Sarah M Planchon ◽  
...  

Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have immunomodulatory and neuro-protective properties and are being studied for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Tractography-based diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), cortical thickness (Cth) and T2 lesion volume (T2LV) can provide insight into treatment effects. Objective The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of MSC transplantation in MS on exploratory MRI measures. Methods MRIs were obtained from 24 MS patients from a phase 1 open-label study of autologous MSC transplantation. DTI metrics were obtained in lesions and normal-appearing white matter motor tracts (NAWM). T2LV and Cth were derived. Longitudinal evolution of MRI outcomes were modelled using linear mixed effects. Pearson’s correlation was calculated between MRI and clinical measures. Results Lesional radial diffusivity (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD) decreased pre-transplant and showed no changes post-transplant. There were mixed trends in NAWM RD and AD pre/post-transplant. Transplantation stabilized T2LV growth. NAWM RD and AD correlated with Cth, T2LV and with leg and arm function but not with cognition. Lesional DTI demonstrated similar but less robust correlations. Conclusions Microstructural tissue integrity is altered in MS. DTI changes pre-transplant may be influenced by concomitant lesion accrual. Contributor to DTI stabilization post-transplant is multifactorial. DTI of major motor tracts correlated well with clinical measures, highlighting its sensitivity to clinically meaningful changes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 2505-2510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiafeng Chen ◽  
Lijun Zhu ◽  
He Li ◽  
Ziwen Lu ◽  
Xin Chen ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C. Kolbe ◽  
Anneke van der Walt ◽  
Helmut Butzkueven ◽  
Alexander Klistorner ◽  
Gary F. Egan ◽  
...  

Previous studies have reported diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) changes within the optic radiations of patients after optic neuritis (ON). We aimed to study optic radiation DTI changes over 12 months following acute ON and to study correlations between DTI parameters and damage to the optic nerve and primary visual cortex (V1). We measured DTI parameters [fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD)] from the optic radiations of 38 acute ON patients at presentation and 6 and 12 months after acute ON. In addition, we measured retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, visual evoked potential amplitude, optic radiation lesion load, and V1 thickness. At baseline, FA was reduced and RD and MD were increased compared to control. Over 12 months, FA reduced in patients at an average rate of −2.6% per annum (control = −0.51%;p=0.006). Change in FA, RD, and MD correlated with V1 thinning over 12 months (FA:R=0.450,p=0.006; RD:R=-0.428,p=0.009; MD:R=-0.365,p=0.029). In patients with no optic radiation lesions, AD significantly correlated with RNFL thinning at 12 months (R=0.489,p=0.039). In conclusion, DTI can detect optic radiation changes over 12 months following acute ON that correlate with optic nerve and V1 damage.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1433-1444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Céline Louapre ◽  
Sindhuja T Govindarajan ◽  
Costanza Giannì ◽  
Nancy Madigan ◽  
Jacob A Sloane ◽  
...  

Background: Thalamic degeneration impacts multiple sclerosis (MS) prognosis. Objective: To investigate heterogeneous thalamic pathology, its correlation with white matter (WM), cortical lesions and thickness, and as function of distance from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Methods: In 41 MS subjects and 17 controls, using 3 and 7 T imaging, we tested for (1) differences in thalamic volume and quantitative T2* (q-T2*) (2) globally and (3) within concentric bands originating from the CSF/thalamus interface; (4) the relation between thalamic, cortical, and WM metrics; and (5) the contribution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics to clinical scores. We also assessed MS thalamic lesion distribution as a function of distance from CSF. Results: Thalamic lesions were mainly located next to the ventricles. Thalamic volume was decreased in MS versus controls ( p < 10−2); global q-T2* was longer in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) only ( p < 10−2), indicating myelin and/or iron loss. Thalamic atrophy and longer q-T2* correlated with WM lesion volume ( p < 0.01). In relapsing-remitting MS, q-T2* thalamic abnormalities were located next to the WM ( p < 0.01 (uncorrected), p = 0.09 (corrected)), while they were homogeneously distributed in SPMS. Cortical MRI metrics were the strongest predictors of clinical outcome. Conclusion: Heterogeneous pathological processes affect the thalamus in MS. While focal lesions are likely mainly driven by CSF-mediated factors, overall thalamic degeneration develops in association with WM lesions.


NeuroImage ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. S127 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Li ◽  
J. Li ◽  
H.G. He ◽  
B. Lv ◽  
W.J. Li ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Cassol ◽  
Jean-Philippe Ranjeva ◽  
Danielle Ibarrola ◽  
Claude Mékies ◽  
Claude Manelfe ◽  
...  

Our objectives were to determine the reproducibility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in volunteers and to evaluate the ability of the method to monitor longitudinal changes occurring in the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). DTI was performed three-mo nthly for one year in seven MS patients: three relapsing-remitting (RRMS), three secondary progressive (SPMS) and one relapsing SP. They were selected with a limited cerebral lesion load. Seven age- and sex-matched controls also underwent monthly examinations for three months. Diffusivity and anisotropy were quantified over the segmented whole supratentorial white matter, with the indices of trace (Tr) and fractional anisotropy (FA). Results obtained in volunteers show the reproducibility of the method. Patients had higher trace and lower anisotropy than matched controls (P B-0.0001). O ver the follow-up, both Tr and FA indicated a recovery after the acute phase in RRMS and a progressive shift towards abnormal values in SPMS. A lthough this result is not statistically significant, it suggests that DTI is sensitive to microscopic changes occurring in tissue of normal appearance in conventional images and could be useful for monitoring the course of the disease, even though it was unable to clearly distinguish between the various physiopathological processes involved.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 811-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene M Vavasour ◽  
Roger Tam ◽  
David KB Li ◽  
Cornelia Laule ◽  
Carolyn Taylor ◽  
...  

Background: Tissue damage in both multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) are important contributors to disability and progression. Specific aspects of MS pathology can be measured using advanced imaging. Alemtuzumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting CD52 developed for MS treatment. Objective: To investigate changes over 2 years of advanced magnetic resonance (MR) metrics in lesions and NAWM of MS patients treated with alemtuzumab. Methods: A total of 42 relapsing–remitting alemtuzumab-treated MS subjects were scanned for 2 years at 3 T. T1 relaxation, T2 relaxation, diffusion tensor, MR spectroscopy and volumetric sequences were performed. Mean T1 and myelin water fraction (MWF) were determined for stable lesions, new lesions and NAWM. Fractional anisotropy was calculated for the corpus callosum (CC) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentration was determined from a large NAWM voxel. Brain parenchymal fraction (BPF), cortical thickness and CC area were also calculated. Results: No change in any MR measurement was found in lesions or NAWM over 24 months. BPF, cortical thickness and CC area all showed decreases in the first year followed by stability in the second year. Conclusion: Advanced MR biomarkers of myelin (MWF) and neuron/axons (NAA) show no change in NAWM over 24 months in alemtuzumab-treated MS participants.


2007 ◽  
Vol 65 (3a) ◽  
pp. 561-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel E. Maia de Andrade ◽  
Emerson L. Gasparetto ◽  
Luiz Celso Hygino Cruz Jr. ◽  
Fabiana Brito Ferreira ◽  
Roberto Cortês Domingues ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: To study the white matter of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (DTI). METHOD: Forty patients with clinical-laboratorial diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS and 40 age- and sex-matched controls, who underwent conventional and functional (DTI) MR imaging, were included in the study. The DTI sequences resulted in maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) and regions of interest were placed on the plaques, peri-plaque regions, normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) around the plaques, contralateral normal white matter (CNWM) and normal white matter of the controls (WMC). The FA values were compared and the statistical treatment was performed with the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The mean FA in plaques was 0.268, in peri-plaque regions 0.365, in NAWM 0.509, in CNWM 0.552 and in WMC 0.573. Statistical significant differences in FA values were observed in plaques, peri-plaque regions and in NAWM around the plaques when compared to the white matter in the control group. There was no significant difference between the FA values of the CNWM of patients with MS and normal white matter of controls. CONCLUSION: Patients with MS show difference in the FA values of the plaques, peri-plaques and NAWM around the plaques when compared to the normal white matter of controls. As a result, DTI may be considered more efficient than conventional MR imaging for the study of patients with MS.


2011 ◽  
Vol 84 (1000) ◽  
pp. 304-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Li ◽  
J Li ◽  
H He ◽  
Z Wang ◽  
B Lv ◽  
...  

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