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El Mendili MM, Verschueren A, Ranjeva JP, Guye M, Attarian S, Zaaraoui W, Grapperon AM. Association between brain and upper cervical spinal cord atrophy assessed by MRI and disease aggressiveness in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuroradiology 2023; 65:1395-1403. [PMID: 37458788 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-023-03191-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To study the relative contributions of brain and upper cervical spinal cord compartmental atrophy to disease aggressiveness in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS Twenty-nine ALS patients and 24 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) were recruited. Disease duration and the Revised-ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) at baseline, 3- and 6-months follow-up were assessed. Patients were clinically differentiated into fast (n=13) and slow (n=16) progressors according to their ALSFRS-R progression rate. Brain grey (GM) and white matter, brainstem sub-structures volumes and spinal cord cross-sectional area (SC-CSA) at C1-C2 vertebral levels were measured from a 3D-T1-weighted MRI. RESULTS Fast progressors showed significant GM, medulla oblongata and SC atrophy compared to HC (p<0.001, p=0.013 and p=0.008) and significant GM atrophy compared to slow progressors (p=0.008). GM volume correlated with the ALSFRS-R progression rate (Rho/p=-0.487/0.007), the ALSFRS-R at 3-months (Rho/p=0.622/0.002), and ALSFRS-R at 6-months (Rho/p=0.407/0.039). Medulla oblongata volume and SC-CSA correlated with the ALSFRS-R at 3-months (Rho/p=0.510/0.015 and Rho/p=0.479/0.024). MRI measures showed high performance to discriminate between fast and slow progressors. CONCLUSION Our study suggests an association between compartmental atrophy and disease aggressiveness. This result is consistent with the combination of upper and lower motor neuron degeneration as the main driver of disease worsening and severity in ALS. Our study highlights the potential of brain and spinal cord atrophy measured by MRI as biomarker of disease aggressiveness signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Mounir El Mendili
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France.
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
- Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale, CRMBM-CEMEREM, UMR 7339 CNRS - Aix-Marseille Université, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France.
| | - Annie Verschueren
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hôpital de la Timone, Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Ranjeva
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
| | - Maxime Guye
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
| | - Shahram Attarian
- APHM, Hôpital de la Timone, Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Marseille, France
| | - Wafaa Zaaraoui
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
| | - Aude-Marie Grapperon
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
- APHM, Hôpital de la Timone, Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, Marseille, France
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Petracca M, Pontillo G, Moccia M, Carotenuto A, Cocozza S, Lanzillo R, Brunetti A, Brescia Morra V. Neuroimaging Correlates of Cognitive Dysfunction in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis. Brain Sci 2021; 11:346. [PMID: 33803287 PMCID: PMC8000635 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11030346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a frequent and meaningful symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS), caused by the accrual of brain structural damage only partially counteracted by effective functional reorganization. As both these aspects can be successfully investigated through the application of advanced neuroimaging, here, we offer an up-to-date overview of the latest findings on structural, functional and metabolic correlates of cognitive impairment in adults with MS, focusing on the mechanisms sustaining damage accrual and on the identification of useful imaging markers of cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Petracca
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (A.C.); (V.B.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Pontillo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Marcello Moccia
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (A.C.); (V.B.M.)
| | - Antonio Carotenuto
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (A.C.); (V.B.M.)
| | - Sirio Cocozza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (S.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Roberta Lanzillo
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (A.C.); (V.B.M.)
| | - Arturo Brunetti
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (S.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Vincenzo Brescia Morra
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (A.C.); (V.B.M.)
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Ruggieri S, Bharti K, Prosperini L, Giannì C, Petsas N, Tommasin S, Giglio LD, Pozzilli C, Pantano P. A Comprehensive Approach to Disentangle the Effect of Cerebellar Damage on Physical Disability in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:529. [PMID: 32695059 PMCID: PMC7338682 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar damage occurs frequently in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with a wide exhibition of symptoms particularly as impairments of balance and gait. Recent studies implementing new postprocessing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques showed how cerebellar subregional atrophy provides an explanation of disability in MS. The aim of this work was to evaluate the relationship between quantitative measures of physical disability, cerebellar subregional atrophy, and cerebellar peduncle disruption. Forty-nine MS patients and 32 healthy subjects as controls (HS) underwent a 3-Tesla MRI including 3D T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging. Patients underwent static posturography to calculate the body's center of pressure (COP) displacement, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and 25-ft walking test (25-FWT). Cerebellar lobular volumes were automatically calculated using the Spatially Unbiased Infratentorial Toolbox. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) in FSL was used to process diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) Fit-generated fractional anisotropy (FA) maps to assess structural connectivity of cerebellar peduncles. Stepwise multivariate linear regression analyses were used to explore relationships between variables. Cerebellar volumes (anterior and posterior, as well as lobular volumes from I to X) were significantly lower in patients with MS than HS (p < 0.05). FA in all cerebellar peduncles was lower in MS patients than in HS (p < 0.05). EDSS and 25-FWT showed an association with atrophy of lobule VIIIb (β = −0.37, p < 0.01, and β = −0.45, p < 0.001, respectively) COP measures inversely correlated with volume of lobules I–IV (β = −0.37, p < 0.01, and β = −0.36, p < 0.01). Lower FA in the three cerebellar peduncles of MS patients positively correlated with cerebellar lobular volumes. Our findings show how sensorimotor cerebellum atrophy and disruption of both afferent and efferent cerebellar connections contribute to physical disability in MS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Ruggieri
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Komal Bharti
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Prosperini
- Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Costanza Giannì
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Tommasin
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura De Giglio
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Pozzilli
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pantano
- Department of Human Neurosciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Rome, Italy.,Department of Radiology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
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George IC, El Mendili MM, Inglese M, Azevedo CJ, Kantarci O, Lebrun C, Siva A, Okuda DT, Pelletier D. Cerebellar volume loss in radiologically isolated syndrome. Mult Scler 2019; 27:130-133. [PMID: 31680617 DOI: 10.1177/1352458519887346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), in which asymptomatic demyelinating-appearing lesions are detected incidentally on MRI, can be a pre-clinical form of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we measured cerebellar volumes on 3D T1-weighted 3T MR images in 21 individuals with RIS and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Normalized cerebellar white matter volume and the anterior cerebellar gray matter volume were significantly decreased in RIS compared to HC (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005, respectively). Our findings support reports of regional brain atrophy in RIS prior to the development of a seminal attack related to inflammatory demyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilena C George
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Matilde Inglese
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA/Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy/IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Christina J Azevedo
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Christine Lebrun
- Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Pasteur 2, Université Nice Côté d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Aksel Siva
- Department of Neurology, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Daniel Pelletier
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuro-Immunology Division and USC Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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