TY - JOUR
T1 - Axonal loss of retinal neurons in multiple sclerosis associated with optic radiation lesions
AU - Klistorner, Alexander
AU - Sriram, Prima
AU - Vootakuru, Nikitha
AU - Wang, Chenyu
AU - Barnett, Michael H.
AU - Garrick, Raymond
AU - Parratt, John
AU - Levin, Netta
AU - Raz, Noa
AU - Van Der Walt, Anneke
AU - Masters, Lynette
AU - Graham, Stuart L.
AU - Yiannikas, Con
PY - 2014/6/17
Y1 - 2014/6/17
N2 - Objective: To investigate the potential links between thinning of retinal ganglion cell axons in eyes of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) without past optic neuritis (ON) and MS-related inflammatory damage of the posterior visual pathway. Methods: Temporal retinal nerve fiber layer (tRNFL) thickness was analyzed in eyes with no history of ON (NON) from 53 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Fifty normal age- and sexmatched controls were examined with optical coherence tomography. Low-contrast visual acuity charts were used for functional assessment of vision. The optic tract (OT) and optic radiation (OR) were identified using probabilistic tractography, and volume of T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery lesions and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices were measured within both structures. Cross-sectional diameter of the OT was also calculated. Results: tRNFL thickness was significantly reduced in NON eyes and was associated with reduced low-contrast visual acuity. Lesions within the OR were detected in the majority of patients. There was a significant correlation between thinning of the tRNFL and OR lesion volume (adjusted for non-OR lesion volume, age, sex, and disease duration). tRNFL thickness also correlated with OR DTI indices. No OT lesions were identified in any of the patients and no relationship between retinal nerve fiber layer loss and potential markers of OT lesions was found. Conclusion: The results demonstrate a strong tract-specific association between loss of tRNFL fibers and MS-related inflammation within OR.
AB - Objective: To investigate the potential links between thinning of retinal ganglion cell axons in eyes of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) without past optic neuritis (ON) and MS-related inflammatory damage of the posterior visual pathway. Methods: Temporal retinal nerve fiber layer (tRNFL) thickness was analyzed in eyes with no history of ON (NON) from 53 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Fifty normal age- and sexmatched controls were examined with optical coherence tomography. Low-contrast visual acuity charts were used for functional assessment of vision. The optic tract (OT) and optic radiation (OR) were identified using probabilistic tractography, and volume of T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery lesions and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices were measured within both structures. Cross-sectional diameter of the OT was also calculated. Results: tRNFL thickness was significantly reduced in NON eyes and was associated with reduced low-contrast visual acuity. Lesions within the OR were detected in the majority of patients. There was a significant correlation between thinning of the tRNFL and OR lesion volume (adjusted for non-OR lesion volume, age, sex, and disease duration). tRNFL thickness also correlated with OR DTI indices. No OT lesions were identified in any of the patients and no relationship between retinal nerve fiber layer loss and potential markers of OT lesions was found. Conclusion: The results demonstrate a strong tract-specific association between loss of tRNFL fibers and MS-related inflammation within OR.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84904011935&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000522
DO - 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000522
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C2 - 24838786
AN - SCOPUS:84904011935
SN - 0028-3878
VL - 82
SP - 2165
EP - 2172
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
IS - 24
ER -