Abstract #1085

Inflammation, Axonal Loss and Trans-Synaptic Degeneration Affect the Visual System in Multiple Sclerosis a Preliminary 7 Tesla MRI and Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Tim Sinnecker¹, Timm Oberwahrenbrock¹, Hanna Zimmermann¹, Jan Drr¹,², Caspar Pfueller¹,², Lutz Harms²,³, Thoralf Niendorf⁴,⁵, Alexander U. Brandt¹,², Friedemann Paul¹,², Jens Wuerfel,¹⁶

¹NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; ²Clinical and Experimental Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; ³Department of Neurology, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; ⁴Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; ⁵Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.UF.F.), Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; ⁶Institute of Neuroradiology, Universittsmedizin Gttingen, Gttingen, Niedersachsen, Germany

Visual disturbances are common in MS. Nevertheless, the visualization of the damaged optic radiation has remained challenging using conventional MRI techniques. Today, 7T MRI provides brilliant visibility of the optic radiation. In our study comprising 31 MS and CIS patients, we discovered a close association between focal damage to the optic radiation, optic radiation thinning, thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer and impaired visual perception. Our data i) indicate that retrograde trans-synaptic degeneration occurs in MS, and ii) suggest that the damage of the optic radiation should be considered as a differential diagnosis of bilateral optic neuritis in MS.