This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Multiple sclerosis is the most common idiopathic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. This is a debilitating disease and much remains to be learned about the pathophysiology and methods to quantify disease severity. The underlying hypothesis of this study is that the clinical features of multiple sclerosis (MS) result from neuronal death, not simply demyelination. The proposed study is a correlational analysis of existing technologies plus neuropsychological testing, measures of N-acetylaspartate to reflect neuronal numbers, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy for volumetric determinations. Roughly 100 patients will be enrolled, including ~1:1 MS to normal age- and sex-matched controls. Two populations of MS patients, relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive, will be recruited. Due to recent departmental upgrades in the MRI equipment, recruitment on this study has been temporarily slowed. Enrollment is expected to increase over the next year.
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