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Basal ganglia, thalamus and neocortical atrophy predicting slowed cognitive processing in multiple sclerosis

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Abstract

Information-processing speed (IPS) slowing is a primary cognitive deficit in multiple sclerosis (MS). Basal ganglia, thalamus and neocortex are thought to have a key role for efficient information-processing, yet the specific relative contribution of these structures for MS-related IPS impairment is poorly understood. To determine if basal ganglia and thalamus atrophy independently contribute to visual and auditory IPS impairment in MS, after controlling for the influence of neocortical volume, we enrolled 86 consecutive MS patients and 25 normal controls undergoing 3T brain MRI and neuropsychological testing. Using Sienax and FIRST software, neocortical and deep gray matter (DGM) volumes were calculated. Neuropsychological testing contributed measures of auditory and visual IPS using the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), respectively. MS patients exhibited significantly slower IPS relative to controls and showed reduction in neocortex, caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus and nucleus accumbens volume. SDMT and PASAT were significantly correlated with all DGM regions. These effects were mitigated by controlling for the effects of neocortical volume, but all DGM volumes remained significantly correlated with SDMT, putamen (r = 0.409, p < 0.001) and thalamus (r = 0.362, p < 0.001) having the strongest effects, whereas for PASAT, the correlation was significant for putamen (r = 0.313, p < 0.01) but not for thalamus. We confirm the significant role of thalamus atrophy in MS-related IPS slowing and find that putamen atrophy is also a significant contributor to this disorder. These DGM structures have independent, significant roles, after controlling for the influence of neocortex atrophy.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by National MS Society grant RG4060A3/1.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Coimbra University Hospitals, Coimbra, Portugal

    Sonia Batista

  2. Department of Neurology, Jacobs Neurological Institute, Buffalo General Hospital, University at Buffalo, Suite D6, 100 High Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA

    Robert Zivadinov, Marietta Hoogs, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman & Ralph H. B. Benedict

  3. Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Jacobs Neurological Institute, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Robert Zivadinov, Niels Bergsland, Mari Heininen-Brown & Michael G. Dwyer

Authors
  1. Sonia Batista
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  2. Robert Zivadinov
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  3. Marietta Hoogs
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  4. Niels Bergsland
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  5. Mari Heininen-Brown
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  6. Michael G. Dwyer
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  7. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman
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  8. Ralph H. B. Benedict
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Correspondence to Ralph H. B. Benedict.

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Batista, S., Zivadinov, R., Hoogs, M. et al. Basal ganglia, thalamus and neocortical atrophy predicting slowed cognitive processing in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 259, 139–146 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6147-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6147-1

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