Cortical axonal loss is associated with both gray matter demyelination and white matter tract pathology in progressive multiple sclerosis: Evidence from a combined MRI-histopathology study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neuroaxonal degeneration is one of the hallmarks of clinical deterioration in progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS).

Objective

To elucidate the association between neuroaxonal degeneration and both local cortical and connected white matter (WM) tract pathology in PMS.

Methods

Post-mortem in situ 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cortical tissue blocks were collected from 16 PMS donors and 10 controls. Cortical neuroaxonal, myelin, and microglia densities were quantified histopathologically. From diffusion tensor MRI, fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD) were quantified in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and white matter lesions (WML) of WM tracts connected to dissected cortical re

SUBMITTER: Kiljan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7897796 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature