Highlights
- •The original SDMT activates brain areas comparable to the methodological adaptions
- •Cognitive components of IPS involves superior parietal and cerebellar areas
- •MS-patients had decreased cingulate activation during SDMT compared to controls
Abstract
Background
The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) is essential in the screening of cognitive
impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methodological adaptions of the SDMT on functional
MRI exist, but without specific investigation of more cognitive components of information
processing speed (IPS). Additionally, there is only limited data on functional differences
between MS-patients and healthy controls (HC).
Methods
20 MS-patients and 20 HC were investigated executing the original version of the SDMT
on fMRI. We analyzed (1) neural networks as indicated in the methodological adaptions
(i.e. frontal (Brodman area BA6, BA9), parietal (BA7), occipital (BA17) and cerebellar),
(2) functional activations of cognitive components of IPS and (3) functional differences
between MS and HC during SDMT.
Results
MS patients performed worse during the SDMT. Both groups demonstrated activation on
each region of interest. Cognitive component of IPS was driven by superior parietal
and posterior cerebellar activation. MS-patients showed decreased cingulate activation
during SDMT as compared to HC.
Conclusion
The original SDMT task revealed comparable fMRI-activation sites as reported for previous
adaptions. Cognitive components of IPS depend on superior parietal and medial posterior
cerebellar regions known to process visuo-spatial integration and anticipation. Attention
related areas in the cingulate cortex were decreased in MS-patients.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 12, 2020
Accepted:
April 26,
2020
Received in revised form:
March 4,
2020
Received:
September 9,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
