Hyperconnectivity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex following mental effort in multiple sclerosis patients with cognitive fatigue. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pravatà, Emanuele; Zecca, Chiara; Sestieri, Carlo; Caulo, Massimo; Riccitelli, Gianna Carla; Rocca, Maria Assunta; Filippi, Massimo; Cianfoni, Alessandro; Gobbi, Claudio
• Is Part Of: Multiple sclerosis. Volume 22:Number 13(2016)
• Page Start: 1665
• Page End: 1675
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Multiple sclerosis -- fatigue -- frontal lobe -- functional connectivity -- MRI; Central nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Myelin sheath -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; Multiple sclerosis -- Periodicals; Central Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Demyelinating Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; Multiple Sclerosis -- Periodicals; Système nerveux central -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Gaine de myéline -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Inflammation (Pathologie) -- Périodiques; Sclérose en plaques -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.834005
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458515625806
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-4585

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the dynamic temporal changes of brain resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) following mental effort in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with cognitive fatigue (CF). Methods: Twenty-two MS patients, 11 with (F) and 11 without CF, and 12 healthy controls were included. Separate RS-FC scans were acquired on a 3T MR scanner immediately before ( t 0), immediately after ( t 1) and 30 minutes after ( t 2) execution of the paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT), a cognitively demanding task. Subjectively perceived CF after PASAT execution was also assessed. RS-FC changes were investigated by using a data-driven approach (the Intrinsic Connectivity Contrast-power ), complemented by a priori defined regions of interest analyses. Results: The F-group patients experienced stronger RS-FC at t 2 between the left superior frontal gyrus (L-SFG) and occipital, frontal and temporal areas, which increased over time after PASAT execution. In the F-group patients, the L-SFG was hyperconnected at t 1 with the left caudate nucleus and hypoconnected at t 2 with the left anterior thalamus. These variations were correlated with both subjectively perceived and clinically assessed CF, and—for the left thalamus—with PASAT performance. Conclusion: The development of cortico–cortical and cortico–subcortical hyperconnectivity following mental effort is related to CF symptoms in MS patients.