Functional and structural brain MRI changes associated with cognitive worsening in multiple sclerosis: a 3-year longitudinal study

Background Heterogeneous processes may contribute to cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective To apply a longitudinal multiparametric MRI approach to identify mechanisms associated with cognitive worsening in MS patients. Methods 3 T brain functional and structural MRI scans were acquired at baseline and after a median follow-up of 3.4 years in 35 MS patients and 22 healthy controls (HC). Associations between cognitive worsening (reliable change index score < − 1.25 at the Rao’s battery) and longitudinal changes in regional T2-hyperintense white matter (WM) lesions, diffusion tensor microstructural WM damage, gray matter (GM) atrophy and resting state (RS) functional connectivity (FC) were explored. Results At follow-up, HC showed no clusters of significant microstructural WM damage progression, GM atrophy or changes in RS FC. At follow-up, 10 MS patients (29%) showed cognitive worsening. Compared to cognitively stable, cognitively worsened MS patients showed more severe GM atrophy of the right anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral supplementary motor area ( p < 0.001). Cognitively worsened vs cognitively stable MS patients showed also decreased RS FC in the right hippocampus of the right working memory network and in the right insula of the default mode network. Increased RS FC in the left insula of the executive control network was found in the opposite comparison ( p < 0.001). No significant regional accumulation of focal WM lesions nor microstructural WM abnormalities occurred in both patients’ groups. Conclusions GM atrophy progression in cognitively relevant brain regions combined with functional impoverishment in networks involved in cognitive functions may represent the substrates underlying cognitive worsening in MS.