Introduction: Progress in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and analyses is improving our comprehension of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology. These advancements, which enable the evaluation of atrophy, microstructural tissue abnormalities, and functional plasticity, are broadening our insights into the effectiveness and working mechanisms of motor and cognitive rehabilitative treatments.

Areas Covered: This narrative review with selected studies discusses findings derived from the application of advanced MRI techniques to evaluate structural and functional neuroplasticity modifications underlying the effects of motor and cognitive rehabilitative treatments in people with MS (PwMS). Current applications as outcome measure in longitudinal trials and observational studies, their interpretation and possible pitfalls and limitations in their use are covered. Finally, we examine how the use of these techniques could evolve in the future to improve monitoring of motor and cognitive rehabilitative treatments.

Expert Commentary: Despite substantial variability in study design and participant characteristics in rehabilitative studies for PwMS, improvements in motor and cognitive functions accompanied by structural and functional brain modifications induced by rehabilitation can be observed. However, significant enhancements to refine rehabilitation strategies are needed. Future studies in this field should strive to implement standardized methodologies regarding MRI acquisition and processing, possibly integrating multimodal measures. This will help identifying relevant markers of treatment response in PwMS, thus improving the use of rehabilitative interventions at individual level. The combination of motor and cognitive strategies, longer periods of treatment, as well as adequate follow-up assessments will contribute to enhance the quality of evidence in support of their routine use.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00415-024-12395-0DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

motor cognitive
24
cognitive rehabilitative
12
effects motor
8
multiple sclerosis
8
structural functional
8
motor
6
cognitive
6
rehabilitative
5
advanced neuroimaging
4
neuroimaging techniques
4

Similar Publications

The effects of early-life whisker deprivation on adolescent behavior in C57BL/6J mice.

Brain Res

January 2025

epartment of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China; Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China. Electronic address:

Whisker deprivation at different stages of early development results in varied behavioral outcomes. However, there is a notable lack of systematic studies evaluating the specific effects of whisker deprivation from postnatal day 0 (P0) to P14 on adolescent behavioral performance in mice. To investigate these effects, C57BL/6J mice underwent whisker deprivation from P0 to P14 and were subsequently assessed at 5 weeks of age using a battery of tests: motor skills were evaluated using open field test; emotional behavior was evaluated using a series of anxiety- and depression-related behavioral tests; cognitive function was examined via novel location and object recognition tests; and social interactions were analyzed using three-chamber social interaction test.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate state between normal aging and dementia, and its symptoms include easy forgetting, distraction, and mental deterioration. This directly affects the patient's motor function, daily living ability, and social adaptability, and brings many difficulties to the patient's reintegration into society. Therefore, clinical research on MCI is very necessary.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

When engaged in dynamic or continuous movements, action initiation involves modifying an ongoing motor program rather than initiating it from rest. Event-related theta synchronization over sensorimotor areas is a neurophysiological marker for modifying motor programs. We used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine how task complexity and age affect event-related synchronization (ERS) in the theta band during a dynamic bimanual, visuomotor pinch force task.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aging has a significant impact on brain structure, demonstrated by numerous MRI studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). While these studies reveal changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) across different brain regions, they tend to focus on white matter tracts and cognitive regions, often overlooking gray matter and motor areas. Additionally, traditional DTI metrics can be affected by partial volume effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Local cortical structure pattern and genetic links in schizophrenia: An MRI and CRISPR/Cas9 study.

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry

January 2025

Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan; Digital Medicine and Smart Healthcare Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address:

While the etiology of schizophrenia (SZ) remains elusive, its diverse phenotypes suggest the involvement of distinct functional cortical areas, and the heritability of SZ implies the underlying genetic factors. This study aimed to integrate imaging and molecular analyses to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of SZ. We investigated the local cortical structural pattern changes in Brodmann areas (BAs) by calculating the cortical structural pattern index (SPI) using magnetic resonance imaging analysis from 194 individuals with SZ and 330 controls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!