title: Electroencephalography-Derived Sensory and Motor Network Topology in Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue.
abstract: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently complain of excessive fatigue, which is the most disabling symptom for half of them. While the few drugs used to treat MS fatigue are of limited utility, we recently observed the efficacy of a personalized neuromodulation treatment. Here, we aim at strengthening knowledge of the brain network changes that occur when MS fatigue increases, using graph theory. We collected electroencephalographic (EEG; 23 or 64 channels) data in resting state with eyes open in 27 relapsing-remitting (RR) patients with mild MS (EDSS ≤2), suffering a wide range of fatigue as scored by the modified Fatigue Impact Scale (mFIS) (2-69, within a total range 0-84). To estimate graph theory small-world index (SW), we calculated the lagged linear coherence between EEG cortical eLORETA sources, in the standard frequency bands delta (2-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha1 (8-10.5 Hz), alpha2 (10.5-13 Hz), beta1 (13-20 Hz), beta2 (20-30 Hz), and gamma (30-45 Hz). We calculated the SW of these undirected and weighted networks separately in the four left and right frontal (motor) and parieto-occipito-temporal (sensory) brain networks. A correlative analysis demonstrated increased fatigue symptoms along with the SW specifically in the Sensory network of the left dominant hemisphere in the beta1 band (Pearson's r = 0.404, P = .020). Our study indicates a specific involvement of the dominant-hemisphere sensory network in MS fatigue. It suggests that compensatory neuromodulation interventions could enhance efficacy in relieving this debilitating symptom by targeting this area.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.affiliation: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.|Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miraglia
authors.affiliation: LET'S-ISTC-CNR, Fatebenefratelli Hospital-Isola Tiberina, Rome, Italy.|Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porcaro
authors.affiliation: LET'S-ISTC-CNR, Fatebenefratelli Hospital-Isola Tiberina, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cottone
authors.affiliation: LET'S-ISTC-CNR, Fatebenefratelli Hospital-Isola Tiberina, Rome, Italy.|Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cancelli
authors.affiliation: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.|Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: LET'S-ISTC-CNR, Fatebenefratelli Hospital-Isola Tiberina, Rome, Italy franca.tecchio@cnr.it.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tecchio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EEG; delta and alpha bands; eLORETA; fatigue; functional connectivity; graph theory; multiple sclerosis; small-world networks