Study Finds Structural Brain Changes in Racially and Ethnically Diverse Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
A recent study presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) addressed a critical research gap by identifying an association between race and ethnicity with structural brain changes and aging in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Analysis of the study results show that non-Hispanic Black (NHB) participants and Hispanic participants with MS had structural changes and decreased volume in signature brain regions associated with aging and Alzheimer disease (AD) when compared to non-Hispanic white (NHW) participants.
The study compiled multiple structural MRI datasets for 83 participants. Using demographic interviews, researchers divided the participants into 3 self-reported race and ethnicity groups consisting of 30 NHB participants, 31 NHW participants, and 22 Hispanic participants. In addition to global volumetric measures for cortical gray matter, total white matter, and subcortical gray matter in 79 of the participants, researchers created composites of cortical thickness measurements to assess specific brain regions related to AD and aging.
According to study results, NHB patients had less volume in signature brain regions associated with AD as compared to NHW and Hispanic participants. Researchers also identified a trend whereby NHB participants had less overall brain volume as compared to NHW and Hispanic participants. Hispanic participants, when compared to NHW participants, presented with decreased subcortical gray matter, total gray matter, and total white matter.
The differences in age-related brain metrics highlighted in this study identify a possible factor contributing to the disparate MS outcomes reported in patients depending on their race and ethnicity. The study authors note that future research should address social determinants of health potentially associated with these differences and also should include larger samples of participants with ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds. The study was conducted by researchers from the Kessler Foundation, Columbia University, and Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School.