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White Matter Tract Abnormalities in SPMS
Associations with cognitive decline
Loss of white matter (WM) integrity assessed using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) helps to explain cognitive decline in patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), according to a study of 30 patients with SPMS and 32 healthy controls. Researchers found:
• 12 patients were assessed as cognitively impaired, with processing speed the domain most commonly affected.
• The final regression model including demographic variables and radial diffusivity explained the greatest variance in cognitive performance.
• Patients with SPMS showed widespread loss of WM integrity throughout the WM skeleton vs health controls.
• Compared to cognitively preserved patients, cognitively impaired patients showed more extensive and severe damage to several WM tracts, including the formix, superior longitudinal fasciculus and forceps major.
Citation: Meijer KA, Muhlert N, Cercignani M, et al. White matter tract abnormalities are associated with cognitive dysfunction in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. [Published online ahead of print January 5, 2016]. Mult Scler. doi:10.1177/1352458515622694.