Abstract #4069

Structural connectivity in multiple sclerosis and simulation of disconnection

Elisabetta Pagani¹, Maria Assunta Rocca^1,2, Ermelinda De Meo¹, Bruno Colombo², Mariaemma Rodegher², Giancarlo Comi², Andrea Falini³, and Massimo Filippi^1,2

¹Neuroimaging Research Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, ²Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, ³Department of Neuroradiology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy

Aim of the study was to quantify structural connectivity integrity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with different clinical phenotypes, to simulate a disconnection due to T2 visible lesions and to test its effect on network based measures. Diffusion tensor MRI was obtained from 239 MS patients and 131 healthy controls; connectivity matrices were produced and then artificially disconnected based on T2 visible lesion distribution. Global and nodal network metrics were calculated for both cases. Crucial nodes of the network were found to be different in strength between MS phenotypes. Disconnection simulation highlighted the role of T2 lesions in determining structural connectivity abnormalities.

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