Imaging brain damage in first-degree relatives of sporadic and familial multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to assess brain damage in first-degree relatives of patients with sporadic and familial multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
Asymptomatic first-degree relatives of sporadic (sMS, n = 152) and familial MS (fMS, n = 88) and healthy volunteers (NC, n = 56) underwent brain MRI and magnetization transfer (MT) imaging on a mobile MR scan. On MR examinations, we visually assessed white matter (WM) lesions and quantified WM lesion volumes, brain volumes, and MT ratio (MTr) in lesions and normal-appearing WM (NAWM).


RESULTS
A lesional MR pattern similar to that of MS patients was found in 4% sMS and 10% fMS. In these WM lesions, MTr was lower (p < 0.0001) than in the WM of NC. In contrast, there was no difference in NAWM-MTr and brain volume values between the three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Focal brain abnormalities indistinguishable from those of MS occur in asymptomatic first-degree relatives of MS patients. These are twice more frequent in fMS than in sMS but do not lead to the widespread tissue damage commonly found in MS patients. Although there is a genetic susceptibility to develop brain abnormalities suggestive of focal demyelination in first-degree relatives of MS patients, other factors are probably critical for the development of a diffuse, clinically relevant, pathology.
De Stefano
Nicola
N
Department of Neurological and Behavioural Sciences, University of Siena, Italy. destefano@unisi.it
Cocco
Eleonora
E
Lai
Marina
M
Battaglini
Marco
M
Spissu
Andrea
A
Marchi
Piernicola
P
Floris
Gianluca
G
Mortilla
Marzia
M
Stromillo
Maria L
ML
Paolillo
Andrea
A
Federico
Antonio
A
Marrosu
Maria Giovanna
MG
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*