Hum Brain Mapp. 2021 Dec 20; doi: 10.1002/hbm.25744. Epub 2021 Dec 20.

Anatomical and functional visual network patterns in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Human brain mapping

Yael Backner, Sol Zamir, Panayiota Petrou, Friedemann Paul, Dimitrios Karussis, Netta Levin

PMID: 34931352 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25744

Abstract

The gradual accrual of disability over time in progressive multiple sclerosis is believed to be driven by widespread degeneration. Yet another facet of the problem may reside in the loss of the brain's ability to adapt to the damage incurred as the disease progresses. In this study, we attempted to examine whether changes associated with optic neuritis in the structural and functional visual networks can still be discerned in progressive patients even years after the acute insult. Forty-eight progressive multiple sclerosis patients, 21 with and 27 without prior optic neuritis, underwent structural and functional MRI, including DTI and resting state fMRI. Anatomical and functional visual networks were analyzed using graph theory-based methods. While no functional metrics were significantly different between the two groups, anatomical global efficiency and density were significantly lower in the optic neuritis group, despite no significant difference in lesion load between the groups. We conclude that long-standing distal damage to the optic nerve causes trans-synaptic effects and the early ability of the cortex to adapt may be altered, or possibly nullified. We suggest that this limited ability of the brain to compensate should be considered when attempting to explain the accumulation of disability in progressive multiple sclerosis patients.

© 2021 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Keywords: DTI; fMRI; multiple sclerosis; optic neuritis; plasticity; visual cortex

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Publication Types

• Journal Article

Grant support

• Applebaum Foundation
• DFG Exc 257/Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• RG-1802-30165/National Multiple Sclerosis Society