summary: Although MS has traditionally been considered an inflammatory-demyelinating disease mainly affecting the white matter, the involvement of the grey matter in MS is increasingly recognised. It is well known that some people with MS may develop a degree of cognitive decline, which can considerably diminish their quality of life. However, the causes of cognitive symptoms are not yet known. The authors of this study found that there is a clear association between the appearance of cognitive dysfunction and the presence of lesions in the cortical grey matter and cortical grey matter volume loss. These findings stress the importance of grey matter involvement in MS, which may help explain the presence of cognitive symptoms more than the involvement of the white matter.

authors: Calabrese M, Agosta F, Rinaldi F, Mattisi I, Grossi P, Favaretto A, Atzori M, Bernardi V, Barachino L, Rinaldi L, Perini P, Gallo P, Filippi M

source: Arch Neurol. 2009 Sep;66(9):1144-50

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