title: The relationship between regional microstructural abnormalities of the corpus callosum and physical and cognitive disability in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Significant corpus callosum (CC) involvement has been found in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), even if conventional magnetic resonance imaging measures have shown poor correlation with clinical disability measures. In this work, we tested the potential of multimodal imaging of the entire CC to explain physical and cognitive disability in 47 patients with RRMS. Values of thickness, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were extracted from 50 regions of interest (ROIs) sampled along the bundle. The relationships between clinical, neuropsychological and imaging variables were assessed by using Spearman's correlation. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed in order to identify the relative importance of imaging metrics in modeling different clinical variables. Regional fiber composition of the CC differentially explained the response variables (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS], cognitive impairment). Increases in EDSS were explained by reductions in CC thickness and MD. Cognitive impairment was mainly explained by FA reductions in the genu and splenium. Regional CC imaging properties differentially explained disability within RRMS patients revealing strong, distinct patterns of correlation with clinical and cognitive status of patients affected by this specific clinical phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Viale Europa, Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Caligiuri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University "Magna Graecia", Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Viale Europa, Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Viale Europa, Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Augimeri
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Viale Europa, Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiriaco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University "Magna Graecia", Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trotta
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University "Magna Graecia", Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University "Magna Graecia", Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Filippelli
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Viale Europa, Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University "Magna Graecia", Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valentino
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Viale Europa, Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy ; Institute of Neurology, University "Magna Graecia", Germaneto, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive impairment; Corpus callosum; Disability; Multimodal MRI; Multiple sclerosis