The Relationship Between Inflammation and Central Nervous System in Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Aim: Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune demyelination disease that is seen especially in the young population and has a progressive course, causing motor, sensory, and cognitive deficits. In the literature, the pathogenesis of MS disease and the interconnection between the immune and central nervous system in the disease have not been fully revealed. Recent studies indicate that gray matter damage, as well as white matter lesions, are frequently seen in MS patients. Based on this background, the present study aimed to explore whether relapsing-remitting MS patients in the attack phase demonstrate different patterns of functional connectivity compared to those in a stable phase.

Material and method: For this purpose, resting-state fMRI findings of the attack (n = 5) and stable (n = 14) groups were examined.

Results: Compared to stable patients, the attack group appeared to show increased functional connectivity in several gray matter structures, including the left fusiform, posterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex, left supramarginal gyrus, thalamus, and precuneus.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that patients in the inflammatory phase may exhibit increased activation in distinct gray matter regions relative to those not in the attack phase. This pattern might reflect the development of compensatory functional connections aimed at limiting potential clinical damage during relapse. Moreover, considering the diverse roles of these regions, their involvement could hypothetically be linked to immune-related processes, a possibility that warrants further investigation in larger cohorts.

Keywords: functional connectivity; immune system; relapsing–remitting MS; resting‐state fMRI.