Two years' effect of dimethyl fumarate on focal and diffuse gray matter pathology in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Data on the effect of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) on focal and diffuse gray matter (GM) damage, a relevant pathological substrate of multiple sclerosis (MS)-related disability are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the DMF effect on cortical lesions (CLs) accumulation and global and regional GM atrophy in subjects with relapsing-remitting MS.

Methods: A total of 148 patients (mean age 38.

CSF TNF and osteopontin levels correlate with the response to dimethyl fumarate in early multiple sclerosis.

Background: Disease activity in the first years after a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is a negative prognostic factor for long-term disability. Markers of both clinical and radiological responses to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are advocated.

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate the value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inflammatory markers at the time of diagnosis in predicting the disease activity in treatment-naïve multiple sclerosis (MS) patients exposed to dimethyl fumarate (DMF).

CSF parvalbumin levels reflect interneuron loss linked with cortical pathology in multiple sclerosis.

Introduction And Methods: In order to verify whether parvalbumin (PVALB), a protein specifically expressed by GABAergic interneurons, could be a MS-specific marker of grey matter neurodegeneration, we performed neuropathology/molecular analysis of PVALB expression in motor cortex of 40 post-mortem progressive MS cases, with/without meningeal inflammation, and 10 control cases, in combination with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) assessment. Analysis of CSF PVALB and neurofilaments (Nf-L) levels combined with physical/cognitive/3TMRI assessment was performed in 110 naïve MS patients and in 32 controls at time of diagnosis.

Results: PVALB gene expression was downregulated in MS (fold change = 3.

"Better explanations" in multiple sclerosis diagnostic workup: A 3-year longitudinal study.

Background: The exclusion of other diseases that can mimic multiple sclerosis (MS) is the cornerstone of current diagnostic criteria. However, data on the frequency of MS mimics in real life are incomplete.

Methods: A total of 695 patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of MS in any of the 22 RIREMS centers underwent a detailed diagnostic workup, including a brain and spinal cord MRI scan, CSF and blood examinations, and a 3-year clinical and radiologic follow-up.