Research On Gray Matter Involvement Of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

PART ONE LONGITUDINAL QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF BRAIN DEEP NUCLEI IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS USING DIFFUSION TENSOR IMAGINGObjectiveTo longitudinally explore the dynamic changes of DTI indexes of brain deep gray nucleus in patients with multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and to analyze the correlations between DTI indexes and clinical Expended Disability Status scale(EDSS).MethodsThirty patients with RRMS and healthy volunteers were recruited and underwent conventional MRI and DTI scan two times with the interval of 1 year. Add enhancement scanning if necessary. DTI of brain deep nuclei from all participants were measured,including mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy(FA), and the correlations between the DTI results and EDSS scores were assessedResults(1) In comparison with healthy volunteers, FA values of patients with RRMS were lower and MD higher in same nucleus, both were statistically differences. (2) Univariate correlations between DTI measures and the average EDSS scores were assessed:MD values of both thalamus and substantia nigra showed positive correlation with EDSS scores (r was 0.25 and 0.27, and p was 0.04 and 0.046), and FA of both thalamus and caudate nucleus were decreased (r was 0.24 and 0.414, and p was 0.03 and 0.024). (3) Compared with the findings of first time, the second examination showed that there were no significant differences for FA in all the deep nucleus, and the MD in the (caudate nucleus thalamus substantia nigras red nucleus were significant decreased(t was 2.36 3.012.35 and 2.50, p was 0.013 0.009 0.015 0.012). particularly in the thalamus.ConclusionDTI can reveal RRMS patients’ deep brain gray matter nuclei involvement, and can be monitored in longitudinal observation of deep gray matter of patients with slight pathological changes.PART TWOFUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF REGIONAL HOMOGENEITY IN THE STUDY OF MOTOR-RELATED CORTEX IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSISObjective:To evaluate the regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the RRMS by using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and evaluate the relationship between the ReHo value of motor-related cortex and EDSS scores.Methods:Nineteen patients with RRMS and 19 gender and age-matched healthy controls underwent rs-fMRI and conventional MRI. Bilateral motor-related cortex were selected as ROIs to measure ReHo values and analyzed by two samples test respectively, Multiple regression analysis was performed between the ReHo values and EDSS scores.Results:Compared with normal controls, ReHo values of motor-related cortex of RRMS patients decreased (P< 0.05, AlphaSim correction, voxel> 20). The bilateral ReHo values showed negative correlated with EDSS scores (Right r= 0.819,p< 0.05; left r=0.871, p< 0.05).ConclusionsReHo values of Motor-related cortex in RRMS patients have been altered. Which may be one of the relevant factors related to disability.