Longitudinal investigation of neuroimaging changes related to memory decline in multiple sclerosis: Testing a mechanistic model.

Background: Memory decline is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), although pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the relationship of changes in structural and functional neuroimaging markers to memory decline over 3-year follow-up.

Methods: Participants with MS underwent cognitive evaluation and structural, diffusion, and functional 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at baseline and 3-year follow-up.

A randomized controlled trial of oral antipyretic treatment to reduce overheating during exercise in adults with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Some people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) avoid exercise due to overheating. Evidence from a variety of cooling treatments shows benefits for pwMS.

Objective: Conduct a randomized controlled trial of antipyretic treatment before exercise in pwMS.

Inflammatory vaginitis in four B-cell suppressed women with Multiple Sclerosis.

B-cell depleting therapies are effective in multiple sclerosis (MS) and are widely used (Hauser et al., 2017). Inflammatory vaginitis (IV), characterized by unexplained vaginal symptoms including mucopurulent discharge, pain, irritation, and dyspareunia, has been reported in one MS patient on ocrelizumab (Filikci and Jensen, 2022), and to be present in 3.

Depression symptoms and cognition in multiple sclerosis: Longitudinal evidence of a specific link to executive control.

Background: Depression symptoms are prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS) and associated with poorer cognition in cross-sectional studies; it is unknown whether changes in depression symptoms track with cognitive changes longitudinally.

Objective: Investigate whether changes in depression symptoms correspond with cognitive changes over time in MS, and identify specific cognitive functions related to depression symptoms.

Method: Persons with early relapse-onset MS ( = 165) completed a depression questionnaire (Beck Depression Inventory FastScreen) and tests of cognitive speed, executive control, and memory at baseline and 3-year follow-up.

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy in postpartum women with neurological conditions.

Objective: Postpartum, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have increased risk for disease activity. Anti-CD20 IgG1 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are increasingly used as disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Patients may wish to both breastfeed and resume DMT postpartum.

A structured evaluation of cryopreservation in generating single-cell transcriptomes from cerebrospinal fluid.

Single-cell transcriptomics allows characterization of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells at an unprecedented level. Here, we report a robust cryopreservation protocol adapted for the characterization of fragile CSF cells by single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in moderate- to large-scale studies. Fresh CSF was collected from twenty-one participants at two independent sites.

Two cases of -related mitochondrial disorder misdiagnosed as seronegative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease primarily affecting the optic nerves and spinal cord, which is usually associated with anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies. Here, we present two individuals who were negative for anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies and were initially diagnosed with seronegative NMOSD. Each patient's clinical course and radiographic features raised suspicion for an alternative disease process.

Impact of resilience, social support, and personality traits in patients with neuroinflammatory diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background And Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the well-being of persons with neuroinflammatory diseases (pwNID). Identifying factors that influence the response to challenging conditions could guide supportive care.

Methods: 2185 pwNID and 1079 healthy controls (HCs) from five US centers completed an online survey regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and psychological well-being.

Brain volumetric correlates of remotely versus in-person administered symbol digit modalities test in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Prior studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) support reliability of telehealth-delivered cognitive batteries, although, to date, none have reported relationships of cognitive test performance to neural correlates across administration modalities. In this study we aimed to compare brain-behavior relationships, using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), the most reliable and sensitive cognitive measure in MS, measured from patients seen via telehealth versus in-person.

Methods: SDMT was administered to individuals with MS either in-person (N=60, mean age=39.

Feasibility trial of a telehealth support group intervention to reduce anxiety in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: Anxiety is common among persons with MS (PwMS), but widely accepted treatments are lacking. Group-based interventions delivered via telehealth are an accessible treatment option requiring clinical trial evidence to support feasibility and initial efficacy. We conducted a pilot feasibility trial of an online support group intervention to reduce anxiety in PwMS.

Summary metrics of memory subnetwork functional connectivity alterations in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Memory dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS); mechanistic understanding of its causes is lacking. Large-scale network resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) is sensitive to memory dysfunction.

Objective: We derived and tested summary metrics of memory network RSFC.

Association of personality traits with physical function, cognition, and mood in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Growing literature supports the hypothesis that personality influences health outcomes. Few studies have examined the association between personality traits and key clinical manifestations in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Objective: To investigate whether personality traits are associated with physical function, cognition, and depression in persons with MS.

Diagnosis concealment is associated with psychosocial outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) frequently conceal their diagnosis, fearing professional and personal repercussions of disclosing. Associations of concealment behavior and expected consequences of disclosure with psychosocial outcomes were examined in 90 pwMS who completed validated self-report measures of diagnosis concealment, loneliness, social support, and self-efficacy. More frequent concealment was related to worse loneliness ( = 0.

Compassionate-use pocapavir and immunoglobulin therapy for treatment of rituximab-associated enterovirus meningoencephalitis.

A 71-year-old woman previously on rituximab treatment for rheumatoid arthritis presented with 2 years of progressive neurologic symptoms. She was found to have persistent hypogammaglobulinemia and B cell depletion despite rituximab discontinuation a year prior. MRI revealed diffuse meningeal enhancement along the entire neuroaxis.

Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 in Neuroinflammatory Disease: Early Safety/Tolerability Data.

Background: Patients with autoimmune disease and on immunotherapy were largely excluded from seminal anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials. This has led to significant vaccine hesitancy in patients with neuroinflammatory diseases (NID); including, but not limited to: multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), neurosarcoidosis and myelin oligodendrocyte antibody-mediated disease (MOG-AD). Data is urgently needed to help guide clinical care in the NID population.

Machine learning to investigate superficial white matter integrity in early multiple sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: This study aims todetermine the sensitivity of superficial white matter (SWM) integrity as a metric to distinguish early multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from healthy controls (HC).

Methods: Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity (MD) values from SWM bundles across the cortex and major deep white matter (DWM) tracts were extracted from 29 early MS patients and 31 age- and sex-matched HC. Thickness of 68 cortical regions and resting-state functional-connectivity (RSFC) among them were calculated.

RCT of a Telehealth Group-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Multiple Sclerosis: eFIT.

Objective: To conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine whether participation in a group-based structured telehealth intervention increases physical activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: In this parallel-arms trial, all study procedures were administered remotely. Adults diagnosed with MS (any subtype) were randomized to one of two 12-week (1 h/wk) active conditions: eFIT, online moderated structured groups; or eJournal, online independent journaling.

Neurologic Safety Monitoring of COVID-19 Vaccines: Lessons From the Past to Inform the Present.

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered a global effort to rapidly develop and deploy effective and safe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations. Vaccination has been one of the most effective medical interventions in human history, although potential safety risks of novel vaccines must be monitored, identified, and quantified. Adverse events must be carefully assessed to define whether they are causally associated with vaccination or coincidence.

Dietary factors and MRI metrics in early Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Despite significant interest in diet by the MS community, research on this topic is limited; there are no published studies evaluating associations between diet and neuroimaging in MS.

Methods: We utilized baseline data from the RADIEMS cohort of early MS (diagnosed <5.0 years, n=180).

Associations of social network structure with cognition and amygdala volume in multiple sclerosis: An exploratory investigation.

Background: Humans are inherently social, biologically programmed to connect with others. Social connections are known to impact mental and physical health.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test whether social network structure is linked to cognition, mood, fatigue, and regional brain volumes in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Sleep disturbance and memory dysfunction in early multiple sclerosis.

Objective: Sleep-dependent memory processing occurs in animals including humans, and disturbed sleep negatively affects memory. Sleep disturbance and memory dysfunction are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about the contributions of sleep disturbance to memory in MS. We investigated whether subjective sleep disturbance is linked to worse memory in early MS independently of potential confounders.

Manifestations and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in neuroinflammatory diseases.

Objective: To report initial results of a planned multicenter year-long prospective study examining the risk and impact of COVID-19 among persons with neuroinflammatory disorders (NID), particularly multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: In April 2020, we deployed online questionnaires to individuals in their home environment to assess the prevalence and potential risk factors of suspected COVID-19 in persons with NID (PwNID) and change in their neurological care.

Results: Our cohort included 1115 participants (630 NID, 98% MS; 485 reference) as of 30 April 2020.

Social support is linked to mental health, quality of life, and motor function in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To investigate associations of social support to psychological well-being, cognition, and motor functioning in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Secondarily, we were interested in exploring sex differences in these relationships, based on a bioevolutionary theoretical justification.

Methods: Social support was assessed in 185 recently diagnosed patients (RADIEMS cohort), and in an independent validation sample (MEMCONNECT cohort, n = 62).