Cognition Concern in MS and Changes in the Brain

Subjective cognitive concern in multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with reduced thalamic and cortical gray matter volumes, areas of the brain that have been implicated in objective cognitive impairment, according to a recent study. These findings may lend neuroanatomical significance to subjective cognitive concerns and patient-reported outcomes as measured by the Quality of Life in Neurologic Disorders Measures (Neuro-QoL). A total of 158 patients with MS completed the Neuro-QoL short forms to assess subjective cognitive concerns and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Regional brain volumes from regions of interest implicated in cognitive dysfunction were measured using NeuroQuant automated volumetric quantitation. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between subjective cognitive concerns and brain volume. Researchers found:

• Controlling for age, disease duration, gender, depression and fatigue, increased subjective cognitive concerns were associated with reduced thalamic volume (standardized β = 0.223, t₁₅₀ =2.406) and reduced cortical gray matter volume (standardized β = 0.240, t₁₅₀ = 2.777).
• Increased subjective cognitive concerns were not associated with any other regions of interest that were analyzed.

Kletenik I, Alvarez E, Honce JM, Valdez B, Vollmer TL. Subjective cognitive concern in multiple sclerosis is associated with reduced thalamic and cortical gray matter volumes. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2019;5(1); doi:10.1177/2055217319827618.

Subjective cognitive concern in multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with reduced thalamic and cortical gray matter volumes, areas of the brain that have been implicated in objective cognitive impairment, according to a recent study. These findings may lend neuroanatomical significance to subjective cognitive concerns and patient-reported outcomes as measured by the Quality of Life in Neurologic Disorders Measures (Neuro-QoL). A total of 158 patients with MS completed the Neuro-QoL short forms to assess subjective cognitive concerns and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Regional brain volumes from regions of interest implicated in cognitive dysfunction were measured using NeuroQuant automated volumetric quantitation. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between subjective cognitive concerns and brain volume. Researchers found:

• Controlling for age, disease duration, gender, depression and fatigue, increased subjective cognitive concerns were associated with reduced thalamic volume (standardized β = 0.223, t₁₅₀ =2.406) and reduced cortical gray matter volume (standardized β = 0.240, t₁₅₀ = 2.777).
• Increased subjective cognitive concerns were not associated with any other regions of interest that were analyzed.

Kletenik I, Alvarez E, Honce JM, Valdez B, Vollmer TL. Subjective cognitive concern in multiple sclerosis is associated with reduced thalamic and cortical gray matter volumes. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2019;5(1); doi:10.1177/2055217319827618.

Subjective cognitive concern in multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with reduced thalamic and cortical gray matter volumes, areas of the brain that have been implicated in objective cognitive impairment, according to a recent study. These findings may lend neuroanatomical significance to subjective cognitive concerns and patient-reported outcomes as measured by the Quality of Life in Neurologic Disorders Measures (Neuro-QoL). A total of 158 patients with MS completed the Neuro-QoL short forms to assess subjective cognitive concerns and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Regional brain volumes from regions of interest implicated in cognitive dysfunction were measured using NeuroQuant automated volumetric quantitation. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between subjective cognitive concerns and brain volume. Researchers found:

• Controlling for age, disease duration, gender, depression and fatigue, increased subjective cognitive concerns were associated with reduced thalamic volume (standardized β = 0.223, t₁₅₀ =2.406) and reduced cortical gray matter volume (standardized β = 0.240, t₁₅₀ = 2.777).
• Increased subjective cognitive concerns were not associated with any other regions of interest that were analyzed.

Kletenik I, Alvarez E, Honce JM, Valdez B, Vollmer TL. Subjective cognitive concern in multiple sclerosis is associated with reduced thalamic and cortical gray matter volumes. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2019;5(1); doi:10.1177/2055217319827618.