title: Increased thalamic intrinsic oscillation amplitude in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis associated with the slowed cognitive processing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between the amplitude of thalamic intrinsic neuronal activity, structural imaging indices, and the clinical neurological scales in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients with RRMS and 23 healthy controls were examined by resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) scan. Thalamic intrinsic oscillation amplitude was calculated by amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) of rs-fMRI, as well as its correlations with clinical and structural imaging indices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the healthy controls, RRMS patients showed significantly increased ALFF values in bilateral thalami (P<.05, corrected). In the patient group, positive correlation was found between bilateral ALFF values and paced auditory serial addition test (left: P=.033; right: P=.016). Significant correlation was detected between the ALFF values and fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the left thalamus (r=0.550, P=.007); only tendency increased correlation was detected between the ALFF values and FA values in the right thalamus (P=.114). No correlation was observed between bilateral thalamic ALFF values and disease duration, expanded disability status scale score, brain parenchymal fraction, or total white matter lesion loads (P>.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased thalamic intrinsic oscillation amplitude as an ineffective reorganization was responded to microstructural damage in the RRMS patients, as well as it was associated with the slowed cognitive processing in relatively minimally disabled stage.
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, NanChang University, NanChang, 330006, China; Jiangxi Province Medical Imaging Research Institute, NanChang, 330006, China. Electronic address: fq.chou@yahoo.com.
authors: FuQing
authors: F
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of NanChang, NanChang, 330003, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Zhuang
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, NanChang University, NanChang, 330006, China.
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, NanChang University, NanChang, 330006, China; Jiangxi Province Medical Imaging Research Institute, NanChang, 330006, China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, NanChang University, NanChang, 330006, China; Jiangxi Province Medical Imaging Research Institute, NanChang, 330006, China.
authors: XianJun
authors: X
authors: Zeng
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, NanChang University, NanChang, 330006, China; Jiangxi Province Medical Imaging Research Institute, NanChang, 330006, China. Electronic address: honghan_gong@sina.com.
authors: HongHan
authors: H
authors: Gong
authors: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1500 San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors: Chi-Shing
authors: CS
authors: Zee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012146:Rest; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Amplitude of low frequency fluctuation; Cognitive dysfunction; Relapsing–Remitting multiple sclerosis; Resting-state, functional MRI; Thalami