Study tied changes in thalamus to tell-tale MS sign

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Maureen Salamon

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) — Atrophy of a key brain area may become a new biomarker to predict the onset of multiple sclerosis, researchers say. If so, that would add to established criteria such as the presence of brain lesions to diagnose the progressive, incurable disorder.

Using special MRI images, scientists from three continents found that the thalamus — which acts as a “relay center” for nervous-system signals — had atrophied in nearly 43 percent of patients who had suffered an initial neurological episode that often comes before a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.

“The telling appearance of lesions, which is a hallmark of the disease, is only part of the pathology,” said study author Dr. Robert Zivadinov, director of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center at the University of Buffalo, in New York. “Our finding is more related to [initiating] clinical trials, to using thalamic volume as a new biomarker for testing and treatment, and to increasing awareness among investigators that this disease is more than just about lesions.”

The study was published online April 23 in the journal Radiology.

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