biostudies-literatureUnknown13Meyer-Arndt LBundesministerium für Bildung und ForschungDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft<h4>Background</h4>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by two neuropathological key aspects: inflammation and neurodegeneration. Clinical studies support a prospective link between psychological stress and subsequent inflammatory disease activity. However, it is unknown if a similar link exists for grey matter (GM) degeneration as the key driver of irreversible disability.<h4>Methods</h4>We tested whether neural network activity triggered in a psychological fMRI stress paradigm (a mental arithmetic task including social evaluation) conducted at a baseline time point predicts future GM atrophy in 25 persons with MS (14 females). Atrophy was determined between the baseline and a follow-up time point with a median delay of 1012 (Rg: 717-1439) days. Additionally, atrophy was assessed in 2Neurobiology of stress100244https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7739031biostudies-literatureBlunted neural and psychological stress processing predicts future grey matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis.PMC7739031Meyer-Arndt LScheel MHetzer SHaynes JDEngel AKWeygandt MStellmann JPHeesen CAsseyer SBrandt AUBellmann-Strobl JGold SMPaul FfalseBlunted neural and psychological stress processing predicts future grey matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis.<h4>Background</h4>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by two neuropathological key aspects: inflammation and neurodegeneration. Clinical studies support a prospective link between psychological stress and subsequent inflammatory disease activity. However, it is unknown if a similar link exists for grey matter (GM) degeneration as the key driver of irreversible disability.<h4>Methods</h4>We tested whether neural network activity triggered in a psychological fMRI stress paradigm (a mental arithmetic task including social evaluation) conducted at a baseline time point predicts future GM atrophy in 25 persons with MS (14 females). Atrophy was determined between the baseline and a follow-up time point with a median delay of 1012 (Rg: 717-1439) days. Additionally, atrophy was assessed in 22020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Nov2026-07-16T02:17:17.506Z2025-04-06T12:57:21.782ZS-EPMC77390313334470010.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100244