Abstract #1310

Age at disease onset influences gray matter and white matter damage in adult multiple sclerosis patients

Elisabetta Pagani¹, Maria Assunta Rocca^1,2, Laura Vacchi¹, Bruno Colombo², Mariaemma Rodegher², Lucia Moiola², Angelo Ghezzi³, Giancarlo Comi², Andrea Falini⁴, 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, ³Multiple Sclerosis Study Center, Hospital of Gallarate, Gallarate, Italy, ⁴Department of Neuroradiology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy

Aim of the study was to explore the extent and distribution of brain gray matter (GM) atrophy and white matter (WM) microstructural abnormalities in adult multiple sclerosis (MS) patients according to their age at disease onset. High-resolution T1-weighted and diffusion tensor MRI scans were acquired from 58 pediatric-onset MS patients, 58 age-matched and 58 disease duration-matched adult-onset MS patients, and 58 healthy controls. The distribution of atrophy and microstructural WM damage were assessed using voxel-wise approaches. Neurodegenerative and inflammatory-demyelinating processes seemed less pronounced in pediatric-onset MS patients. However, with increasing disease duration, an accelerated normal appearing WM damage occurred.

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