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Meyer-Arndt L, Brasanac J, Gamradt S, Bellmann-Strobl J, Maurer L, Mai K, Steward T, Spranger J, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Paul F, Gold SM, Weygandt M. Body mass, neuro-hormonal stress processing, and disease activity in lean to obese people with multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 2024; 271:1584-1598. [PMID: 38010499 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-12100-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Overweight and obesity can worsen disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). Although psychobiological stress processing is increasingly recognized as important obesity factor that is tightly connected to proinflammatory metabolic hormones and cytokines, its role for MS obesity remains unexplored. Consequently, we investigated the interplay between body mass index (BMI), neural stress processing (functional connectivity, FC), and immuno-hormonal stress parameters (salivary cortisol and T cell glucocorticoid [GC] sensitivity) in 57 people with MS (six obese, 19 over-, 28 normal-, and four underweight; 37 females, 46.4 ± 10.6 years) using an Arterial-Spin-Labeling MRI task comprising a rest and stress stage, along with quantitative PCR. Our findings revealed significant positive connections between BMI and MS disease activity (i.e., higher BMI was accompanied by higher relapse rate). BMI was positively linked to right supramarginal gyrus and anterior insula FC during rest and negatively to right superior parietal lobule and cerebellum FC during stress. BMI showed associations with GC functioning, with higher BMI associated with lower CD8+ FKBP4 expression and higher CD8+ FKBP5 expression on T cells. Finally, the expression of CD8+ FKBP4 positively correlated with the FC of right supramarginal gyrus and left superior parietal lobule during rest. Overall, our study provides evidence that body mass is tied to neuro-hormonal stress processing in people with MS. The observed pattern of associations between BMI, neural networks, and GC functioning suggests partial overlap between neuro-hormonal and neural-body mass networks. Ultimately, the study underscores the clinical importance of understanding multi-system crosstalk in MS obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lil Meyer-Arndt
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jelena Brasanac
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Gamradt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Maurer
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Max Rubner Center for Cardiovascular-Metabolic-Renal Research, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 13347, Berlin, Germany
| | - Knut Mai
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 13347, Berlin, Germany
| | - Trevor Steward
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Redmond Barry Building #817, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Joachim Spranger
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Max Rubner Center for Cardiovascular-Metabolic-Renal Research, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 13347, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan M Gold
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 12203, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13125, Berlin, Germany.
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany.
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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Schulz MA, Hetzer S, Eitel F, Asseyer S, Meyer-Arndt L, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Bellmann-Strobl J, Cole JH, Gold SM, Paul F, Ritter K, Weygandt M. Similar neural pathways link psychological stress and brain-age in health and multiple sclerosis. iScience 2023; 26:107679. [PMID: 37680475 PMCID: PMC10480681 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical and neuroscientific studies suggest a link between psychological stress and reduced brain health in health and neurological disease but it is unclear whether mediating pathways are similar. Consequently, we applied an arterial-spin-labeling MRI stress task in 42 healthy persons and 56 with multiple sclerosis, and investigated regional neural stress responses, associations between functional connectivity of stress-responsive regions and the brain-age prediction error, a highly sensitive machine learning brain health biomarker, and regional brain-age constituents in both groups. Stress responsivity did not differ between groups. Although elevated brain-age prediction errors indicated worse brain health in patients, anterior insula-occipital cortex (healthy persons: occipital pole; patients: fusiform gyrus) functional connectivity correlated with brain-age prediction errors in both groups. Finally, also gray matter contributed similarly to regional brain-age across groups. These findings might suggest a common stress-brain health pathway whose impact is amplified in multiple sclerosis by disease-specific vulnerability factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Andre Schulz
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH), Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Eitel
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanna Asseyer
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lil Meyer-Arndt
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Regenerative Immunology and Aging, BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - James H. Cole
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
- Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stefan M. Gold
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department, Section Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Ritter
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Brasanac J, Hetzer S, Asseyer S, Kuchling J, Bellmann-Strobl J, Ritter K, Gamradt S, Scheel M, Haynes JD, Brandt AU, Paul F, Gold SM, Weygandt M. Central stress processing, T cell responsivity to stress hormones, and disease severity in multiple sclerosis. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac086. [PMID: 35441135 PMCID: PMC9014535 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological, clinical and neuroscientific studies support a link between psychobiological stress and multiple sclerosis. Neuroimaging suggests that blunted central stress processing goes along with higher multiple sclerosis severity, neuroendocrine studies suggest that blunted immune system sensitivity to stress hormones is linked to stronger neuroinflammation. Until now, however, no effort has been made to elucidate whether central stress processing and immune system sensitivity to stress hormones are related in a disease-specific fashion, and if so, whether this relation is clinically meaningful. Consequently, we conducted two functional MRI analyses based on a total of 39 persons with multiple sclerosis and 25 healthy persons. Motivated by findings of an altered interplay between neuroendocrine stress processing and T-cell glucocorticoid sensitivity in multiple sclerosis, we searched for neural networks whose stress task-evoked activity is differentially linked to peripheral T-cell glucocorticoid signalling in patients versus healthy persons as a potential indicator of disease-specific CNS–immune crosstalk. Subsequently, we tested whether this activity is simultaneously related to disease severity. We found that activity of a network comprising right anterior insula, right fusiform gyrus, left midcingulate and lingual gyrus was differentially coupled to T-cell glucocorticoid signalling across groups. This network’s activity was simultaneously linked to patients’ lesion volume, clinical disability and information-processing speed. Complementary analyses revealed that T-cell glucocorticoid signalling was not directly linked to disease severity. Our findings show that alterations in the coupling between central stress processing and T-cell stress hormone sensitivity are related to key severity measures of multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Brasanac
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanna Asseyer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Joseph Kuchling
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristin Ritter
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Gamradt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Scheel
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neuroradiology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - John-Dylan Haynes
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander U. Brandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan M. Gold
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
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Fernández RS, Crivelli L, Pedreira ME, Allegri RF, Correale J. Computational basis of decision-making impairment in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2021; 28:1267-1276. [PMID: 34931933 DOI: 10.1177/13524585211059308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is commonly associated with decision-making, neurocognitive impairments, and mood and motivational symptoms. However, their relationship may be obscured by traditional scoring methods. OBJECTIVES To study the computational basis underlying decision-making impairments in MS and their interaction with neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric measures. METHODS Twenty-nine MS patients and 26 matched control subjects completed a computer version of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Participants underwent neurocognitive evaluation using an expanded version of the Brief Repeatable Battery. Hierarchical Bayesian Analysis was used to estimate three established computational models to compare parameters between groups. RESULTS Patients showed increased learning rate and reduced loss-aversion during decision-making relative to control subjects. These alterations were associated with: (1) reduced net gains in the IGT; (2) processing speed, executive functioning and memory impairments; and (3) higher levels of depression and current apathy. CONCLUSION Decision-making deficits in MS patients could be described by the interplay between latent computational processes, neurocognitive impairments, and mood/motivational symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo S Fernández
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina/Laboratorio de Neurociencia de la Memoria, IFIBYNE-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucia Crivelli
- Department of Cognitive Neurology, Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina/Department of Neurology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María E Pedreira
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina/Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo F Allegri
- Department of Cognitive Neurology, Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina/Department of Neurology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina/Universidad de la Costa (CUC), Barranquilla, Colombia
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Meyer-Arndt L, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Bellmann-Strobl J, Brandt AU, Haynes JD, Gold SM, Paul F, Weygandt M. Neural Processes of Psychological Stress and Relaxation Predict the Future Evolution of Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2021; 12:753107. [PMID: 34887828 PMCID: PMC8650716 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.753107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an essential complementary parameter in the assessment of disease burden and treatment outcome in multiple sclerosis (MS) and can be affected by neuropsychiatric symptoms, which in turn are sensitive to psychological stress. However, until now, the impact of neurobiological stress and relaxation on HRQoL in MS has not been investigated. We thus evaluated whether the activity of neural networks triggered by mild psychological stress (elicited in an fMRI task comprising mental arithmetic with feedback) or by stress termination (i.e., relaxation) at baseline (T0) predicts HRQoL variations occurring between T0 and a follow-up visit (T1) in 28 patients using a robust regression and permutation testing. The median delay between T0 and T1 was 902 (range: 363–1,169) days. We assessed HRQoL based on the Hamburg Quality of Life Questionnaire in MS (HAQUAMS) and accounted for the impact of established HRQoL predictors and the cognitive performance of the participants. Relaxation-triggered activity of a widespread neural network predicted future variations in overall HRQoL (t = 3.68, pfamily−wise error [FWE]-corrected = 0.008). Complementary analyses showed that relaxation-triggered activity of the same network at baseline was associated with variations in the HAQUAMS mood subscale on an αFWE = 0.1 level (t = 3.37, pFWE = 0.087). Finally, stress-induced activity of a prefronto-limbic network predicted future variations in the HAQUAMS lower limb mobility subscale (t = −3.62, pFWE = 0.020). Functional neural network measures of psychological stress and relaxation contain prognostic information for future HRQoL evolution in MS independent of clinical predictors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lil Meyer-Arndt
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander U Brandt
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - John-Dylan Haynes
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan M Gold
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.,Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
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Lopez-Soley E, Martinez-Heras E, Andorra M, Solanes A, Radua J, Montejo C, Alba-Arbalat S, Sola-Valls N, Pulido-Valdeolivas I, Sepulveda M, Romero-Pinel L, Munteis E, Martínez-Rodríguez JE, Blanco Y, Martinez-Lapiscina EH, Villoslada P, Saiz A, Solana E, Llufriu S. Dynamics and Predictors of Cognitive Impairment along the Disease Course in Multiple Sclerosis. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11111107. [PMID: 34834459 PMCID: PMC8624684 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11111107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The evolution and predictors of cognitive impairment (CI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) are poorly understood. We aimed to define the temporal dynamics of cognition throughout the disease course and identify clinical and neuroimaging measures that predict CI. (2) Methods: This paper features a longitudinal study with 212 patients who underwent several cognitive examinations at different time points. Dynamics of cognition were assessed using mixed-effects linear spline models. Machine learning techniques were used to identify which baseline demographic, clinical, and neuroimaging measures best predicted CI. (3) Results: In the first 5 years of MS, we detected an increase in the z-scores of global cognition, verbal memory, and information processing speed, which was followed by a decline in global cognition and memory (p < 0.05) between years 5 and 15. From 15 to 30 years of disease onset, cognitive decline continued, affecting global cognition and verbal memory. The baseline measures that best predicted CI were education, disease severity, lesion burden, and hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex volume. (4) Conclusions: In MS, cognition deteriorates 5 years after disease onset, declining steadily over the next 25 years and more markedly affecting verbal memory. Education, disease severity, lesion burden, and volume of limbic structures predict future CI and may be helpful when identifying at-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Lopez-Soley
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Eloy Martinez-Heras
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Magi Andorra
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Aleix Solanes
- Imaging of Mood- and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) Group, IDIBAPS and CIBERSAM, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (A.S.); (J.R.)
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Imaging of Mood- and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) Group, IDIBAPS and CIBERSAM, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (A.S.); (J.R.)
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-Detection (EPIC) Laboratory, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Carmen Montejo
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Salut Alba-Arbalat
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Nuria Sola-Valls
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Irene Pulido-Valdeolivas
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Maria Sepulveda
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Lucia Romero-Pinel
- Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, IDIBELL, 08907 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Elvira Munteis
- Neurology Department: Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (E.M.); (J.E.M.-R.)
| | - Jose E. Martínez-Rodríguez
- Neurology Department: Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (E.M.); (J.E.M.-R.)
| | - Yolanda Blanco
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Elena H. Martinez-Lapiscina
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Pablo Villoslada
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Albert Saiz
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Elisabeth Solana
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: (E.S.); (S.L.); Tel.: +34-932275414 (E.S. & S.L.); Fax: +34-932275783 (E.S. & S.L.)
| | - Sara Llufriu
- Center of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (E.M.-H.); (M.A.); (C.M.); (S.A.-A.); (N.S.-V.); (I.P.-V.); (M.S.); (Y.B.); (E.H.M.-L.); (P.V.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: (E.S.); (S.L.); Tel.: +34-932275414 (E.S. & S.L.); Fax: +34-932275783 (E.S. & S.L.)
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Meyer-Arndt L, Hetzer S, Asseyer S, Bellmann-Strobl J, Scheel M, Stellmann JP, Heesen C, Engel AK, Brandt AU, Haynes JD, Paul F, Gold SM, Weygandt M. Blunted neural and psychological stress processing predicts future grey matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100244. [PMID: 33344700 PMCID: PMC7739031 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by two neuropathological key aspects: inflammation and neurodegeneration. Clinical studies support a prospective link between psychological stress and subsequent inflammatory disease activity. However, it is unknown if a similar link exists for grey matter (GM) degeneration as the key driver of irreversible disability. METHODS We tested whether neural network activity triggered in a psychological fMRI stress paradigm (a mental arithmetic task including social evaluation) conducted at a baseline time point predicts future GM atrophy in 25 persons with MS (14 females). Atrophy was determined between the baseline and a follow-up time point with a median delay of 1012 (Rg: 717-1439) days. Additionally, atrophy was assessed in 22 healthy subjects (13 females; median delay 771 [Rg: 740-908] days between baseline and follow-up) for comparison. RESULTS An analysis of longitudinal atrophy in patients revealed GM loss in frontal, parietal, and cerebellar areas. Cerebellar atrophy was more pronounced in patients than controls. Future parietal and cerebellar atrophy could be predicted based on activity of two networks. Perceived psychological stress was negatively related to future parietal atrophy in patients and activity of the network predictive of parietal atrophy was positively linked to perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS We have shown that blunted neural and psychological stress processing have a detrimental effect on the course of MS and are interrelated. Together with research showing that psychological and neural stress processing can be altered through interventions, our findings suggest that stress processing might constitute an important modifiable disease factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lil Meyer-Arndt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanna Asseyer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Scheel
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan-Patrick Stellmann
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, UMR, 7339, Marseille Cedex, France
- APHM, Hopital de la Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
| | - Christoph Heesen
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas K. Engel
- Department of Neurophysiology and Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander U. Brandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - John-Dylan Haynes
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan M. Gold
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, 10117, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Wakonig K, Eitel F, Ritter K, Hetzer S, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Bellmann-Strobl J, Haynes JD, Brandt AU, Gold SM, Paul F, Weygandt M. Altered Coupling of Psychological Relaxation and Regional Volume of Brain Reward Areas in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:568850. [PMID: 33117263 PMCID: PMC7574404 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.568850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Psychological stress can influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about neurobiological factors potentially counteracting these effects. Objective: To identify gray matter (GM) brain regions related to relaxation after stress exposure in persons with MS (PwMS). Methods: 36 PwMS and 21 healthy controls (HCs) reported their feeling of relaxation during a mild stress task. These markers were related to regional GM volumes, heart rate, and depressive symptoms. Results: Relaxation was differentially linked to heart rate in both groups (t = 2.20, p = 0.017), i.e., both markers were only related in HCs. Relaxation was positively linked to depressive symptoms across all participants (t = 1.99, p = 0.045) although this link differed weakly between groups (t = 1.62, p = 0.108). Primarily, the volume in medial temporal gyrus was negatively linked to relaxation in PwMS (t = -5.55, pfamily-wise-error(FWE)corrected = 0.018). A group-specific coupling of relaxation and GM volume was found in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) (t = -4.89, pFWE = 0.039). Conclusion: PwMS appear unable to integrate peripheral stress signals into their perception of relaxation. Together with the group-specific coupling of relaxation and VMPFC volume, a key area of the brain reward system for valuation of affectively relevant stimuli, this finding suggests a clinically relevant misinterpretation of stress-related affective stimuli in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Wakonig
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Eitel
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Ritter
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - John-Dylan Haynes
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander U. Brandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Stefan M. Gold
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Landmeyer NC, Dzionsko I, Brockhoff L, Wiendl H, Domes G, Bölte J, Krämer J, Meuth SG, Johnen A. The Agony of Choice? Preserved Affective Decision Making in Early Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:914. [PMID: 32982932 PMCID: PMC7492612 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is an early and frequent symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). Likewise, affective symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety) and alterations in the processing of emotional stimuli have been frequently reported. Thus, abilities that integrate affective and cognitive processes such as decision making (DM) based on affective feedback are potentially valuable early diagnostic markers for MS. The available research on this topic, however, is still inconclusive and suffers from methodological issues. Methods: We compared DM ability in a clinically homogeneous cohort of 24 patients with early relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and 59 age-matched healthy controls (HCs). A modified version of the Iowa gambling task (IGT) allowed us to control for individual differences in search strategies during the risk exploration phase. Besides standard IGT measures (netscore, obtained play money, and learning index), we also examined reaction times and post-error slowing (PES) patterns as a proxy for abnormalities in the processing of affective feedback. Results: The performance of patients did not significantly deviate from HCs in any standard parameter of the modified IGT. Furthermore, although RRMS patients reacted significantly slower than HCs overall, we found similar patterns of PES in both groups, suggesting similarly efficient processing of affective feedback. Conclusion: We conclude that there is no specific deficit in affective feedback processing in early RRMS. Previous findings of IGT impairments in this patient group may thus not represent a genuine deficit in affective DM but rather be related to sample characteristics, general CI, and/or differences in individual search strategies. Future research should explore the potential influence of lesion volumes and locations on DM ability by employing brain imaging techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils C Landmeyer
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Inga Dzionsko
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Laura Brockhoff
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Heinz Wiendl
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Gregor Domes
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Jens Bölte
- Department of Psychology, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Julia Krämer
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sven G Meuth
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Andreas Johnen
- Department of Neurology With Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische-Wilhelms-University Münster, Münster, Germany
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10
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Abstract
Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized to be a core feature of multiple sclerosis (MS), with important implications for the everyday life of individuals with MS and for disease management. Unfortunately, the exact mechanisms that underlie this cognitive impairment are poorly understood and there are no effective therapeutic options for this aspect of the disease. During MS, focal brain inflammatory lesions, together with pathological changes of both CNS grey matter and normal-appearing white matter, can interfere with cognitive functions. Moreover, inflammation may alter the crosstalk between the immune and the nervous systems, modulating the induction of synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission. In this Review, we examine the CNS structures and cognitive domains that are affected by the disease, with a specific focus on hippocampal involvement in MS and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an experimental model of MS. We also discuss the hypothesis that, during MS, immune-mediated alterations of synapses' ability to express long-term plastic changes may contribute to the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment by interfering with the dynamics of neuronal networks.
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11
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Gajamange S, Shelton A, Clough M, White O, Fielding J, Kolbe S. Functional correlates of cognitive dysfunction in clinically isolated syndromes. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219590. [PMID: 31314815 PMCID: PMC6636738 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction can be identified in patients with clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of multiple sclerosis using ocular motor testing. This study aimed to identify the functional neural correlates of cognitive dysfunction in patients with clinically isolated syndrome using MRI. Eighteen patients with clinically isolated syndrome and 17 healthy controls were recruited. Subjects underwent standard neurological and neuropsychological testing. Subjects also underwent functional MRI (fMRI) during a cognitive ocular motor task, involving pro-saccade (direct gaze towards target) and anti-saccade (direct gaze away from target) trials. Ocular motor performance variables (averaged response time and error rate) were calculated for each subject. Patients showed a trend towards a greater rate of anti-saccade errors (p = 0.09) compared to controls. Compared to controls, patients exhibited increased activation in the right postcentral, right supramarginal gyrus, and the right parietal operculum during the anti-saccade>pro-saccade contrast. This study demonstrated that changes in functional organisation of cognitive brain networks is associated with subtle cognitive changes in patients with clinically isolated syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanuji Gajamange
- Department of Medicine and Radiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Annie Shelton
- Department of Psychology, MIND Institute, and Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Meaghan Clough
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Owen White
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joanne Fielding
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Scott Kolbe
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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12
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Macías Islas MÁ, Ciampi E. Assessment and Impact of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview. Biomedicines 2019; 7:E22. [PMID: 30893874 PMCID: PMC6466345 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment affects 40⁻60% of patients with multiple sclerosis. It may be present early in the course of the disease and has an impact on a patient's employability, social interactions, and quality of life. In the last three decades, an increasing interest in diagnosis and management of cognitive impairment has arisen. Neuropsychological assessment and neuroimaging studies focusing on cognitive impairment are now being incorporated as primary outcomes in clinical trials. However, there are still key uncertainties concerning the underlying mechanisms of damage, neural basis, sensitivity and validity of neuropsychological tests, and efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The present article aimed to present an overview of the assessment, neural correlates, and impact of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ethel Ciampi
- Neurology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Neurology, Hospital Dr. Sótero del Río, Santiago 8320000, Chile.
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13
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The Role of fMRI in the Assessment of Neuroplasticity in MS: A Systematic Review. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:3419871. [PMID: 30693023 PMCID: PMC6332922 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3419871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to adapt to internal and external environmental changes, physiologically occurs during growth and in response to damage. The brain's response to damage is of particular interest in multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease characterized by inflammatory and neurodegenerative damage to the central nervous system. Functional MRI (fMRI) is a tool that allows functional changes related to the disease and to its evolution to be studied in vivo. Several studies have shown that abnormal brain recruitment during the execution of a task starts in the early phases of multiple sclerosis. The increased functional activation during a specific task observed has been interpreted mainly as a mechanism of adaptive plasticity designed to contrast the increase in tissue damage. More recent fMRI studies, which have focused on the activity of brain regions at rest, have yielded nonunivocal results, suggesting that changes in functional brain connections represent mechanisms of either adaptive or maladaptive plasticity. The few longitudinal studies available to date on disease evolution have also yielded discrepant results that are likely to depend on the clinical features considered and the length of the follow-up. Lastly, fMRI has been used in interventional studies to investigate plastic changes induced by pharmacological therapy or rehabilitation, though whether such changes represent a surrogate of neuroplasticity remains unclear. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the existing literature in order to provide an overall description of both the neuroplastic process itself and the evolution in the use of fMRI techniques as a means of assessing neuroplasticity. The quantitative and qualitative approach adopted here ensures an objective analysis of published, peer-reviewed research and yields an overview of up-to-date knowledge.
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14
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Decision-Making in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Systematic Review. Mult Scler Int 2018; 2018:7835952. [PMID: 29721338 PMCID: PMC5867562 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7835952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently associated with cognitive and behavioural deficits. A growing number of studies suggest an impact of MS on decision-making abilities. The aim of this systematic review was to assess if (1) performance of MS patients in decision-making tasks was consistently different from controls and (2) whether this modification was associated with cognitive dysfunction and emotional alterations. Methods The search was conducted on Pubmed/Medline database. 12 studies evaluating the difference between MS patients and healthy controls using validated decision-making tasks were included. Outcomes considered were quantitative (net scores) and qualitative measurements (deliberation time and learning from feedback). Results Quantitative and qualitative decision-making impairment in MS was present in 64.7% of measurements. Patients were equally impaired in tasks for decision-making under risk and ambiguity. A correlation to other cognitive functions was present in 50% of cases, with the highest associations in the domains of processing speed and attentional capacity. Conclusions In MS patients, qualitative and quantitative modifications may be present in any kind of decision-making task and can appear independently of other cognitive measures. Since decision-making abilities have a significant impact on everyday life, this cognitive aspect has an influential importance in various MS-related treatment settings.
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