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Background Increased iron deposition has been implicated in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS), based on visual analysis of signal reduction on T2-weighted images. R2* relaxometry allows to assess brain iron accumulation quantitatively. Objective To investigate regional brain iron deposition in patients with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and its associations with demographical, clinical, and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters. Methods We studied 69 patients (CIS, n = 32; RRMS, n = 37) with 3T MRI and analyzed regional R2* relaxation rates and their correlations with age, disease duration, disability, T2 lesion load, and normalized brain volumes. Results Basal ganglia R2* relaxation rates increased in parallel with age (r = 0.3-0.6; P < 0.01) and were significantly higher in RRMS than in CIS (P < 0.05). Using multivariate linear regression analysis, the rate of putaminal iron deposition was independently predicted by the patients' age, disease duration, and gray matter atrophy. Conclusions Quantitative assessment by R2* relaxometry suggests increased iron deposition in the basal ganglia of MS patients, which is associated with disease duration and brain atrophy. This technique together with long-term follow-up thus appears suited to clarify whether regional iron accumulation contributes to MS morbidity or merely reflects an epiphenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous magnetization transfer (MT) studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) suggest a reduction of the MT ratio (MTR) precedes new lesion development. To gain further insight into pre-lesional tissue abnormalities, we investigated the time course of additional quantitative MT parameters. Methods: Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including a gadolinium-enhanced T1 scan and MT imaging by means of a FastPACE sequence, was performed on 12 patients (4 males, 8 females) with relapsing–remitting MS. Quantitative MT values including the magnetization exchange rate (k[sub for]) and the native relaxation time (T1[sub free]) were analysed in the six months prior to the appearance of 44 enhancing lesions and in 88 control regions of persistently normal-appearing white matter (NAWM). Results: Appearance of new active lesions was preceded by a significant decrease of the MTR (F[sub 7,166]=91.5; p < 0.0001) and of k[sub for] (F[sub 7,166]=105.2; p < 0.0001), and by an increase of T1[sub free] (F[sub 7,166]=57.3; p < 0.0001). The drop of k[sub for] was the most pronounced pre-lesional change and together with the MTR was statistically significant already four months before the appearance of new lesion. The observed increase of T1[sub free] was relatively small. MT variables of reactivated lesions were always different from NAWM but showed no characteristic time course. Conclusions: Multiparametric MT measurements suggest both a reduction of macromolecular material and a focal increase of free water to occur several months before the appearance of an active lesion. Reduction of the magnetization exchange rate, which may result from primary damage to myelin, appears to be the leading event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Faces Symbol Test (FST) has recently been proposed as a brief and patient-friendly screening instrument for the assessment of cognitive dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, in contrast to well-established MS screening tests such as the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test, the neural correlates of the FST have not been investigated so far. In the present study, we developed a functional MRI (fMRI) version of the FST to provide first data on brain regions and networks involved in this test. A sample of 19 healthy participants completed a version of the FST adapted for fMRI, requiring matching of faces and symbols in a multiple choice test and two further experimental conditions drawing on cognitive subcomponents (face matching and symbol matching). Imaging data showed a differential involvement of a fronto-parieto-occipital network in the three conditions. The most demanding FST condition elicited brain activation patterns related with sustained attention and executive control. These results suggest that the FST recruits brain networks critical for higherorder cognitive functions often impaired in MS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]