Regional cortical thinning in multiple sclerosis and its relation with cognitive impairment: A multicenter study (2023)

FAQs

What does cortical thinning mean in the brain? ›

Cortical thinning is a part of normal ageing. Recent studies suggest that accelerated cortical thinning in vulnerable regions may be a useful biomarker for neuropathologies including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

These findings suggest that cortical thinning in the right hemisphere produces disturbances in arousal, attention, and memory for social stimuli, which in turn may increase the risk of developing depressive illness.

Cognitive dysfunction is a common feature of multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting approximately 40% to 60% at some time in their disease course. Cognitive impairment often manifests as deficits in recent memory, attention, information-processing speed, executive functions, and visuospatial perception.

Slowed cognitive processing speed and episodic memory decline are the most common cognitive deficits in MS, with additional difficulties in executive function, verbal fluency, and visuospatial analysis.

Cortical thinning that progresses at a rate higher than expected for age has been demonstrated in a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, depression, dementia and neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis and, not least, epilepsy.

Additionally, decreased cortical thickness (CT) is a consistent finding in adult and adolescent patients with AN^13,14. After weight gain, this cortical thinning can be reversed to a normal level^15,16,17.

We found monotonic thinning of the cerebral cortex from 4.1 y throughout the lifespan up to 88.5 y.

In general, life expectancy is shorter than usual for Cerebellar Degenerative Ataxia patients. Many, however, may live into their 50s or even their 60s.

In general, greater gray matter volumes in these regions of association cortex have been associated with higher IQ scores.

The term 'dementia' is not generally used in association with multiple sclerosis because the decline is not usually as severe as it is in other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. It is more usual to describe the person as 'experiencing cognitive difficulties'.

Does MS always lead to dementia? ›

Severe cognitive impairment that seems like dementia is rare in people with MS, especially if they don't have severe physical problems too. One important risk factor for severe cognitive impairment in MS is smoking.

An unfortunate side effect in many younger patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) is the development of dementia. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease where the immune system attacks the body, causing a process called demyelination.

Diphenhydramine, sold as Benadryl, is a type of antihistamine that can help reduce the likelihood or severity of an allergic reaction to a multiple sclerosis (MS) infusion treatment. Antihistamines block histamines, chemicals made by white blood cells that cause allergy symptoms such as itchy skin, rash, and hives.

Widespread cortical thinning can be seen throughout the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes with rates of 0.05–0.01 mm lost per year (shown in darker blue).

Exercise was associated with increases in cortical thickness within the right pre and postcentral gyri. Other notable areas of increased thickness related to training were present in the left pre and postcentral gyri, left temporal pole, left superior temporal gyrus, and left parahippocampal gyrus.

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a rare form of dementia that usually begins by affecting a person's vision. It is also known as Benson's syndrome.

Results: Exercise group demonstrated significantly increased cortical thickness in the left pericalcarine area, left superior parietal area, right rostral middle frontal and right lateral occipital gyrus compared to non-exercise group.

Yes, brain atrophy can show up on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a test that creates pictures of your brain. A computed tomography (CT) scan can also detect brain atrophy. But an MRI is more sensitive in revealing damage that occurs in some specific regions area of your brain (focal damage).

What causes thinning of the brain cortex? ›

Cerebral atrophy—the loss of nerve cells (neurons) and the connections that help them communicate in the brain's tissues—occurs in many disorders that affect the brain, such as stroke, Alzheimer's, disease, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, or infections.

Bone is lost because remodelling becomes unbalanced after midlife. Most cortical bone loss occurs by intracortical, not endocortical remodelling. Each remodelling event removes more bone than deposited enlarging existing canals which eventually coalesce eroding and thinning the cortex from 'within.

Cortical dementia, or posterior cortical atrophy, is the gradual, progressive degeneration of the cortex. Primarily, this occurs in the part of the brain in the back of the head, or the posterior. The outer layers of the brain play an important role in such functions such as language and memory.

MS itself is rarely fatal, but complications may arise from severe MS, such as chest or bladder infections, or swallowing difficulties. The average life expectancy for people with MS is around 5 to 10 years lower than average, and this gap appears to be getting smaller all the time.

Treating multiple system atrophy (MSA)

There's currently no cure for MSA and no way of slowing its progression. People with the condition typically live for 6 to 9 years after their symptoms start and may get worse quickly during this time. Some people may live for more than 10 years after being diagnosed.

Symptoms of progressive brain atrophy include: Dementia. Behavioral changes. Memory loss.

At 10 years of age, more intelligent children have a slightly thinner cortex than children with a lower IQ. This relationship becomes more pronounced with increasing age: with higher IQ, a faster thinning of the cortex is found over time.

Frontal Lobes

The prefrontal cortex plays an important part in memory, intelligence, concentration, temper and personality.

Both the cerebello-parietal component and the frontal component are associated with intelligence.

These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.

What is the multiple sclerosis personality? ›

Regarding the five-factor model (FFM) that deals with five core dimensions—neuroticism, extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness [10]—MS patients usually show high neuroticism, loss of empathy, and low agreeableness, which are distinctive features of narcissism and histrionism.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) — A separate disease from MS that shares several clinical features. NMO most often causes visual changes in both eyes and symptoms caused by long lesions in the spinal cord.

Problems with memory and thinking - also called 'cognitive problems' - can affect people with MS, but most people will be affected mildly. Some people find it harder to find the right words, to concentrate or to recall things quickly.

Race. White people, particularly those of Northern European descent, are at highest risk of developing MS . People of Asian, African or Native American descent have the lowest risk. A recent study suggests that the number of Black and Hispanic young adults with multiple sclerosis may be greater than previously thought.

While many with MS will experience depression or anxiety at some point, more rarely, some people experience changes to their emotions or behaviour that don't seem to make sense, or that they aren't able to control.

Some symptoms you may experience in final-stage MS include: trouble with balance, coordination, and posture. limited mobility or paralysis. blood clots and pressure sores due to lack of mobility.

Research suggests that the damage that MS causes to your brain can lead some people to develop Parkinson's later on. If you have MS, your immune system triggers ongoing inflammation. This can create lesions in your brain that cause Parkinson's disease.

your genes – MS isn't directly inherited, but people who are related to someone with the condition are more likely to develop it; the chance of a sibling or child of someone with MS also developing it is estimated to be around 2 to 3 in 100.

It's recommended that people with MS avoid certain foods, including processed meats, refined carbs, junk foods, trans fats, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Other tips to manage MS symptoms include: making meals in bulk.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society notes that there's no special diet for MS, but that eating a diet low in fat and high in vitamins and fiber can help you feel better, while maximizing your energy and supporting healthy bladder and bowel function.

What memory medication is used for multiple sclerosis? ›

In one trial, people with MS who took interferon beta-1b showed improvements in cognitive function over a 5-year period. Results were even better for people who started taking interferon beta-1b early in their disease. They preserved their cognitive skills more than those who started the drug later on.

A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.

Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.

You have trouble following a conversation. You find it hard to make decisions, finish a task or follow instructions. You start to have trouble finding your way around places you know well. You begin to have poor judgment.

Numbness or Tingling

Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.

Dawson's finger is a type of brain lesion common to people who have MS. These lesions develop on the ventricles, or fluid-filled spaces in the brain. Dawson's finger lesions can help a doctor diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) when other symptoms, such as difficulties with movement or thought processes, accompany them.

Early MS symptoms may include blurred vision, numbness, dizziness, muscle weakness, and coordination issues. MS is progressive and can worsen over time. Eventually, the disease can do damage directly to the nerves, causing permanent disability.

Measurements of CT in fROIs of VTC showed that cortex appeared to thin from age 5 to adulthood in face-, character-, and place-selective regions [main effect of age, 3-way repeated-measures ANOVA with factors: Age of subject (5 to 9/10 to 12/22 to 28 y), fROI (face/place/character-selective), and hemisphere (left/right ...

Adolescence is characterized by significant neuromaturation, including extensive cortical thinning, particularly in frontal regions.

As serious as the effects of cerebral cortex damage can be, there is always a possibility of recovery. That's because the brain can reassign functions that are controlled by one area of the cerebral cortex to a different, undamaged area.

What are cortical symptoms signs? ›

Cortical symptoms, most commonly speech disturbance described as an inability to speak any words, and to a lesser extent CED, are also evident. This demonstrates the potential for developing the dispatch protocols for a suspected stroke to recognize LVO in an emergency call.

Common symptoms include trouble reading, judging distances and reaching for objects. People with the syndrome may not be able to recognize objects and familiar faces. They also may have trouble making calculations. Over time this condition may cause a decline in memory and thinking abilities, known as cognitive skills.

The four A's of Alzheimer's disease are: amnesia, aphasia, apraxia, and agnosia.

Depression is a common reversible dementia condition. During a major depressive episode, the condition can cause rapidly progressive dementia. Depression symptoms that mimic dementia can include the following: Impaired learning and memory.

Cortical development comprises several consecutive phases, which may temporally overlap to a certain extent: induction, patterning, neuronal migration, formation of axonal connections and functional maturation.

In the early stages of posterior cortical atrophy, most people do not have markedly reduced memory, but memory can be affected in later stages.