Brain Atrophy Occurs Earlier Than Expected in MS

This study suggests that brain and spinal-cord atrophy may occur earlier in the course of multiple sclerosis than has been thought.

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) develop irreversible CNS tissue injury, the end result of which is brain and spinal-cord atrophy. Atrophy was thought to occur late in the course of MS because, despite periodic relapses, patients function normally for years after symptomatic onset of MS. To study brain atrophy in early MS, these researchers used quantitative cranial MRI scans to examine 26 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 27 healthy control subjects. In patients with MS, symptoms had been present for an average of only 1.8 years, and the patients had normal neurologic function.

Compared with controls, MS patients had significantly reduced brain parenchymal fraction (BPF) -- a measure of whole-brain atrophy -- and reduced gray-ma…

Reviewing Author

Richard A. Rudick, MD