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Volumetric changes in hypothalamic subunits in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
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Abstract

Purpose

Studies on hypothalamic changes in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) are very scarce, despite the fact that the relationship with the hypothalamus is frequently reported. The aim of the study was to determine the volume of the hypothalamic subunits and the total hypothalamus and its relationship with the total demyelinating lesion volume (TLV) and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) in RRMS patients.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, anterior–superior, superior tubular, posterior hypothalamus, anterior-inferior, inferior tubular subunits of hypothalamus, and total hypothalamus volume were calculated, with fully automatic analysis methods using volumetric T1 images of 65 relapsed RRMS patients and 68 healthy controls (HC). Volume changes in the hypothalamus and its subunits in RRMS patients were examined using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The relationship of these volumes with EDSS and TLV was investigated by partial correlation analysis.

Results

There is volume reduction in total hypothalamus (F = 13.87, p < 0.001), anterior–superior (F = 19.2, p < 0.001), superior tubular (F = 10.1, p = 0.002) subunits, and posterior hypothalamus (F = 19.2, p < 0.001) volume in RRMS patients. EDSS correlates negatively with anterior–superior (p = 0.017, r =  − 0.333), superior tubular subunits (p = 0.023, r =  − 0.439), posterior hypothalamus (p < 0.001, r =  − 0.511), and whole hypothalamus volume (p = 0.001, r =  − 0.439). TLV correlates negatively with anterior superior (p < 0.001, r =  − 0.565), anterior inferior (p = 0.002, r =  − 0.431), superior tubular subunits (p = 0.002, r =  − 0.432), posterior hypothalamus (p < 0.001, r =  − 0.703), and whole hypothalamus (p < 0.001, r =  − 0.627) volumes.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a reduction in total hypothalamus volume, anterior–superior, superior tubular, and posterior hypothalamus in patients with RRMS. Anterior–superior and superior tubular subunit, posterior hypothalamus, and total hypothalamus volume were negatively correlated with TLV and EDSS scores.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Samsun Education and Research Hospital, İlkadım, Samsun, 55060, Turkey

    Barış Genç

  2. Department of Neurology, Ondokuz Mayıs University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey

    Sedat Şen & Kerim Aslan

  3. Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayıs University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey

    Kerim Aslan & Lütfi İncesu

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  1. Barış Genç
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  2. Sedat Şen
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  4. Lütfi İncesu
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Contributions

BG: project development, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript writing/editing. SŞ: project development, data collection, and manuscript writing/editing. KA: data collection, data analysis, and manuscript editing. Lİ: project development, data collection, and manuscript editing.

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Correspondence to Barış Genç.

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Genç, B., Şen, S., Aslan, K. et al. Volumetric changes in hypothalamic subunits in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. Neuroradiology 65, 899–905 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-023-03122-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-023-03122-z

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