The Relationship between Third Ventricle Diameter, Motor Disability and Cognitive Decline in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Maede   Kamali; Mohammad Taghi  Joghataei; Mostafa  Almasi-Dooghaee; Mahla  Babaie; Sara  Esmaeili; Shabnam   Nouri-Shirazi; Mohammad Hossein   Abbasi; Yasaman   Abdi; Zahra   Mirzaasgari

doi:10.18502/jimc.v4i3.7216

Maede Kamali Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Taghi Joghataei Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mostafa Almasi-Dooghaee Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahla Babaie Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sara Esmaeili Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Shabnam Nouri-Shirazi Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Pardis, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Hossein Abbasi Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Yasaman Abdi Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zahra Mirzaasgari Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jimc.v4i3.7216

Keywords: Cognitive dysfunction, Humans, Motor disorders, Multiple sclerosis, Neuroimaging, Third ventricle

Abstract

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) causes brain atrophy at the early stages of the disease which leads to progressive motor and cognitive dysfunction. Brain atrophy can be diagnosed indirectly by measuring the Third Ventricle Diameter (TVD) using Trans Cranial Sonography (TCS). The purpose of the current study was evaluation of TVD in MS patients using TCS to examine its possible correlation with cognitive dysfunction and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Methods: Seventy-four patients with a definite diagnosis of MS were enrolled in this study. Transverse diameter of the third ventricle was measured using TCS. All patients were assessed by neurological examination and the level of disability was measured via EDSS. The cognitive performance was assessed by the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS). Pearson’s correlation was performed to evaluate possible correlations and p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: From the total 74 individuals, 58.1% were diagnosed with Relapse-Remitting MS (RRMS) (n=43) and 43.9% with Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS) (n=31). The mean EDSS score was 1.81±1.38 (Range of 0-10). The mean TVD was 5.61±1.82 cm which had no statistical correlation with the EDSS score, but it was significantly wider in group with EDSS score>3 when compared to the group with EDSS score≤3 (p-value=0.0001). The mean BICAMS score was 0.65±0.57 and there was no statistical correlation between BICAMS score and TVD.

Conclusion: Measuring the diameter of the third ventricle using TCS appears to be an appropriate method to diagnose brain atrophy and is associated with cognitive dysfunction in the process of MS. Our data emphasized no association between the diameter of the third ventricle and cognitive dysfunction.