title: Reading, writing, and reserve: Literacy activities are linked to hippocampal volume and memory in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Engagement in cognitive leisure activities during early adulthood has been linked to preserved memory and larger hippocampal volume in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  
  To investigate which specific types of cognitive leisure activities contribute to hippocampal volume and memory.
  
  
  
  We investigated links between three types of cognitive activities (Reading-Writing, Art-Music, Games-Hobbies) and (a) hippocampal volume within independent samples of Italian (n=187) and American (n=55) MS patients and (b) memory in subsamples of Italian (n=97) and American (n=53) patients.
  
  
  
  Reading-Writing was the only predictor of hippocampal volume (rp=.204, p=.002), and the best predictor of memory (rp=.288, p=.001).
  
  
  
  Findings inform the development of targeted evidence-based enrichment programs aiming to bolster reserve against memory decline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA/Manhattan Memory Center, New York, NY, USA jfs2013@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sumowski
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy/Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Leavitt
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riccitelli
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy/Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filippi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001154:Art; D058245:Cognitive Reserve / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006686:Hobbies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009146:Music; D011932:Reading; D014481:United States; D014956:Writing
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; cognitive reserve; enriched environments; hippocampal volume; neurogenesis