Functional and structural MRI correlates of executive functions in multiple sclerosis. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Marchesi, Olga; Bonacchi, Raffaello; Valsasina, Paola; Preziosa, Paolo; Pagani, Elisabetta; Cacciaguerra, Laura; Meani, Alessandro; Conti, Lorenzo; Mistri, Damiano; Rocca, Maria A; Filippi, Massimo
• Is Part Of: Multiple sclerosis. Volume 28:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 742
• Page End: 756
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Multiple sclerosis -- magnetic resonance imaging -- resting-state functional connectivity -- diffusion-weighted imaging -- executive functions -- Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; 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: 10.1177/13524585211033184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-4585

Abstract

Background: Executive dysfunctions, including difficulties in attention, working memory, planning, and inhibition affect 15%–28% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Objectives: To investigate structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities underlying executive function (EF) in MS patients. Methods: A total 116 MS patients and 65 controls underwent resting-state (RS) and diffusion-weighted sequences and neuropsychological examination, including Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) to test EF. Brain RS cognitive networks and fractional anisotropy (FA) from a priori selected white matter tracts were derived. Associations of WCST scores with RS functional connectivity (FC) and FA abnormalities were investigated. Results: In MS patients, predictors of working memory/updating were: lower corpus callosum (CC) FA, lower left working-memory network (WMN), right WMN RS FC for worse performance; lower executive control network (ECN), higher default-mode network (DMN), and salience network (SN) RS FC for better performance ( R 2 = 0.35). Predictors of attention were lower CC genu FA, lower left WMN, and DMN RS FC for worse performance; higher left WMN and ECN RS FC for better performance ( R 2 = 0.24). Predictors of worse shifting/inhibition were lower CC genu and superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP) FA, lower left WMN RS FC for worse performance; and higher ECN RS FC for better performance ( R 2 = 0.24). Conclusions: CC and SCP microstructural damage and RS FC abnormalities in cognitive networks underlie EF frailty in MS.