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.

Development and initial validation of the Cognitive Change Scale (CCS).

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in neurologic diseases. Precise measurement of cognitive change over time is necessary for isolating disease-related patterns from normal age-related decline. Existing measures of subjective cognition, however, focus on present status.

Correlation between cognitive changes and neuroradiological changes over time in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: While many studies have examined relationships of neuroimaging variables to cognitive measures in multiple sclerosis (MS), longitudinal studies are lacking. The relationship of cognitive changes to neuroradiological changes in MS is thus incompletely understood. The present study systematically reviews all studies reporting a relationship between MRI changes and cognitive changes after at least one year of follow-up.

Diagnosis concealment behaviors and disclosure beliefs are associated with health and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) struggle with whether, how, and how much to disclose their diagnosis. They often expend resources to conceal their diagnosis, and hold beliefs that it may negatively affect their personal relationships and/or professional opportunities. To better understand these effects, we developed a measure to quantify concealment behaviors and disclosure beliefs.

Sex differences in brain resilience of individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Brain resilience allows maintenance of neurocognitive function in the face of age or disease-related neural changes.

Objective: Test the hypothesis that women and men with MS differ in brain resilience.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis of prospective cohort data included 11,297 patients.

Disparities in DMT treatment: Demographic and neurocognitive differences between MS patients currently treated versus not treated with disease-modifying therapies.

Background: Current treatment guidelines recommend consideration of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but barriers to access have begun to be identified. In particular, prior studies have found that people with higher education have better access to DMTs, perhaps explained by the association of higher education with higher income. And while the majority of people with MS are women, being male is also associated with higher income.

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.

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.

It's time to talk about disclosure and concealment in MS.

Deciding when and if to disclose a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is complicated and highly stressful for individuals who are already facing many challenges. To date, few research studies have explored specific ways in which this challenge affects people with MS. From a cognitive neuroscience standpoint, the brain is a limited capacity system whereby any allocation of resources has a consequence for overall brain efficiency.

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.

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.

Assessing diagnosis disclosure and concealment in multiple sclerosis: Development and initial validation of the DISCO-MS survey.

Background: Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) regularly report making strategic decisions about whether to share their diagnosis or keep it a secret; for many, this represents a key stressor. Surprisingly, the impact of disclosure and concealment are understudied in MS and a formal measurement instrument is lacking. We developed the Diagnosis Disclosure and Concealment in MS (DISCO-MS) survey, a self-assessment tool evaluating (1) frequency of concealment behaviors and (2) expected consequences of diagnosis disclosure in persons with MS.

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.

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.