Cognitive impairment / basal ganglia iron deposition

ironjustice@aol.com · medicine forum Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1522

Cognitive impairment is associated with subcortical magnetic resonance
imaging grey matter T2 hypointensity in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Brass, S.D.1; Benedict, R.H.B.2; Weinstock-Guttman, B.2;
Munschauer, F.2; Bakshi, R.1

Source: Multiple Sclerosis, Volume 12, Number 4, August 2006, pp.
437-444(8)

Publisher: Hodder Arnold Journals

Abstract:

Grey matter hypointensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) scans, suggesting iron deposition, has been described in multiple
sclerosis (MS) and is related to physical disability, disease course
and brain atrophy. We tested the hypothesis that subcortical grey
matter T2 hypointensity is related to cognitive impairment after
adjusting for the effect of MRI lesion and atrophy measures. We studied
33 patients with MS and 14 healthy controls. Normalized T2 signal
intensity in the caudate, putamen, globus pallidus and thalamus, total
brain T1-hypointense lesion volume (T1LV), fluid-attenuated
inversion-recovery-hyperintense lesion volume (FLLV) and brain
parenchymal fraction (BPF) were obtained quantitatively. A
neuropsychological composite score (NCS) encompassed new learning,
attention, working memory, spatial processing and executive function.
In each of the regions of interest, the normalized T2 intensity was
lower in the MS versus control group (all P < 0.001). Regression
modelling tested the relative association between all MRI variables and
NCS. Globus pallidus T2 hypointensity was the only variable selected in
the final model (R2 = 0.301, P = 0.007). Pearson correlations between
MRI and NCS were T1LV: r = -0.319; FLLV: r = -0.347; BPF: r =
0.374; T2 hypointensity of the caudate: r = 0.305; globus pallidus: r =
0.395; putamen: r = 0.321; and thalamus: r = 0.265. Basal ganglia T2
hypointensity and BPF demonstrated the strongest associations with
cognitive impairment on individual cognitive subtests. Subcortical grey
matter T2 hypointensity is related to cognitive impairment in MS,
supporting the clinical relevance of T2 hypointensity as a biological
marker of MS tissue damage. These data implicate a role for basal
ganglia iron deposition in neuropsychological dysfunction.
Keywords: BRAIN; COGNITION; GREY MATTER; IRON; MRI; MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Document Type: Regular paper

DOI: 10.1191/135248506ms1301oa

Affiliations: 1: Departments of Neurology and Radiology, Center for
Neurological Imaging, Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Brigham &
Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 2: The Jacobs
Neurologic Institute, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and
Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York,
Buffalo, NY, USA

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outsor@citynet.net · medicine forum Guru Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 569

"These data implicate a role for basal ganglia iron deposition in
neuropsychological dysfunction."

Wonder what about ms causes the deposition?

ironjustice@aol.com · medicine forum Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1522

ironjustice@aol.com wrote:

Google