Diffusion Tensor–MRI Evidence for Extra-Axonal Neuronal Degeneration in Caudate and Thalamic Nuclei of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

International audienceMS is an inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting both WM and GM. While WM lesions are easily visualized by conventional MR imaging, the detection of GM alterations remains challenging. This diffusion tensor MR imaging study aimed to detect and characterize diffuse microscopic alterations in 2 deep GM structures, the caudate nucleus and the thalamus, in patients with RR and SP MS. The relationship between diffusivity markers, and atrophy of the caudate and the thalamus, as well as brain lesion load and clinical status of the patients was also explored