Abstract #3121

Gray Matter Damage Predicts the Accumulation of Disability and Cognitive Impairment 13 Years Later in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Maria A. Rocca¹, Paolo Preziosa¹, Massimiliano Copetti², Gianna Riccitelli¹, Roberta Messina¹, Giancarlo Comi³, Massimo Filippi¹

¹Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, Italy; ²Biostatistics Unit, IRCCS-Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; ³Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, Italy

We assessed the value of conventional and magnetization transfer (MT) MRI quantities of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and gray matter (GM) damage and their 12-month changes in predicting the accumulation of disability and cognitive impairment after 13 years in 73 multiple sclerosis (MS). At 13-year follow-up, 63% patients showed a significant disability worsening and 30% were cognitively impaired. MTR and atrophy measures of GM damage at baseline were the only predictors of disability worsening and cognitive impairment at 13 years.