Axonal damage in the optic radiation assessed by white matter tract integrity metrics is associated with retinal thinning in multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

White matter damage in the visual pathway is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and is associated with retinal thinning, although the underlying mechanism of association remains unclear. The goal of this work was to evaluate the presence and extent of white matter tract integrity (WMTI) alterations in the optic radiation (OR) in people with MS and to investigate the association between WMTI metrics and retinal thinning in the eyes of MS patients without a history of optic neuritis (ON) as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). We hypothesized that WMTI metrics would reflect axonal damage that occurs in the OR in MS, and that axonal alterations revealed by WMTI would be associated with retinal thinning.

Methods

Twenty-nine MS patients without previous ON

SUBMITTER: Ngamsombat C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7305426 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature