More MS news articles for Jan 2002

MTR discloses subtle changes in the normal-appearing tissue from relatives of patients with MS

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/58/2/317

Neurology 2002;58:317-320
Malgorzata Siger–Zajdel, MD, Massimo Filippi, MD and Krzysztof Selmaj, MD PhD
From the Department of Neurology (Drs. Siger–Zajdel and Selmaj), Medical Academy of Lodz, Poland; and Neuroimaging Research Unit (Dr. Filippi), Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute and University Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.

The presence of normal-appearing brain tissue (NABT) changes was investigated in 30 first-degree relatives of patients with MS, using magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) histograms.

When compared with controls, relatives of patients with familial (p = 0.01) and sporadic (p = 0.01) MS had lower NABT MTR histogram peak heights.

This study suggests a reduction of truly normal NABT in asymptomatic relatives of patients with MS.