Long-Term Study of Multimodal MRI Imaging to Predict Neurodegeneration in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis

What this Trial Is About

Multiple sclerosis MS is a chronic condition affecting the central nervous system, causing inflammatory and demyelinating lesions in the brain and spinal cord. While treatments have improved to reduce inflammation and relapses, preventing or slowing the neurodegenerative aspect that leads to disability remains challenging. This study focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind neurodegeneration in MS and developing reliable imaging biomarkers to evaluate new treatments and accelerate their clinical use. The research involves long-term follow-up of MS patients previously enrolled in MRI and PET-MR studies. Participants will undergo comprehensive neurological exams, medical history reviews, neuropsychological testing, blood sampling for biobanking, and multimodal MRI scans without contrast. The aim is to validate advanced imaging techniques that capture remyelination, inflammation, and tissue damage to predict disease progression and disability worsening. Participants will be assessed using multiple neurological and cognitive tests, including the Expanded Disability Status Scale EDSS, Multiple Sclerosis Functional Score MSFC, and various processing speed and memory tests. MRI scans will measure white matter lesion load and brain atrophy. The study will monitor participants over the long term to determine the predictive value of imaging markers for disease activity and disability, with all procedures designed to gather detailed data on neurodegeneration in MS.

Multimodal Imaging Signatures of the Biological Mechanisms Underlying Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis