Activation of working memory in patients at the earliest stage of multiple sclerosis—An fMRI study

Meyn, Hannes; Kraemer, Markus; de Greiff, Armin; Diehl, Rolf R.

doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2010.04.003

« Previous Next »Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery
Volume 112, Issue 6 , Pages 490-495, July 2010

Activation of working memory in patients at the earliest stage of multiple sclerosis—An fMRI study

Hannes Meyn
- Department of Neurology, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Strasse 21, 45117 Essen, Germany
- Department of Neuroradiology, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Strasse 21, 45117 Essen, Germany
- Both authors have contributed equally.
- Corresponding author at: Department of Neuroradiology, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Strasse 21, 45117 Essen, Germany. Tel.: +49 201 4342556.
Markus Kraemer
- Department of Neurology, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Strasse 21, 45117 Essen, Germany
- Both authors have contributed equally.
Armin de Greiff
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45127 Essen, Germany
Rolf R. Diehl
- Department of Neurology, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Strasse 21, 45117 Essen, Germany

Received 19 July 2009; received in revised form 29 March 2010; accepted 5 April 2010.

Abstract

Objective

Previous fMRI studies on activation of working memory in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients presented heterogeneous results. Patients were reported to have altered brain activation patterns either in typical working memory circuits or in other brain regions even if they did not have any cognitive impairment according to the test batteries. We hypothesized that brain activation patterns in patients at a very early stage of the disease at very low EDSS-Score would not differ from healthy subjects.

Methods

We examined 13 patients at an early stage of MS matched with 13 healthy controls with a detailed psychometric test battery and an fMRI working memory paradigm.

Results

Patients and healthy controls did not differ in psychometric test batteries. In both groups those cortex areas typically involved in working memory processes like dorso-lateral prefrontal (DLPFC), ventro-lateral-prefrontal (VLPFC), fronto-medial and parietal cortex areas (Brodmann 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 32, 40, 45, 46, 47) were equally activated.

Conclusion

In contrast to former studies we found no differences in activation patterns in the fMRI scanning measuring working memory tasks between psychometrically tested homogenous groups of patients in early stages of MS and control subjects.

Keywords: Working memory, Multiple sclerosis, fMRI