A study using wearable scanning technology has revealed how brain function differs in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is the first study to use this newly developed technology in MS and demonstrates its potential for studying neurological disease.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and damages myelin, a protective fatty substance that insulates nerve fibers. This damage disrupts the electrical signals traveling along the nerves, leading to a wide range of neurological symptoms including numbness, vision problems, balance issues, and fatigue.
Scientists from the University of Nottingham's School of Physics and Astronomy and School of Medicine and Health Sciences used a newly developed OPM-MEG (Magnetoencephalography with Optically Pumped Magnetometers) scanner. Its lightweight helmet and a backpack-mounted control unit uniquely allow electrical brain signals to be measured while people are resting, standing, walking or completing movement-based tasks. Unlike MRI, which generates images of brain structure, OPM-MEG measures how the brain is working in real-time, non-invasively via measurement of magnetic fields generated by electrical currents flowing through assemblies of neurons.
In experiments on participants with and without MS, the researchers demonstrated how neural circuits in the brains visual system are affected by demyelination of neurons in MS. In addition, they showed that the movement area of the brain responded more slowly in people with the condition. Because balance problems are common in MS, the team also examined brain activity when participants were standing. They found that the brain rhythms that characterise healthy cortical function (typically known as "brain waves") changed more when people with MS were standing, compared to people without the condition. They also showed that the movement centres of the brain were communicating differently in MS. The results have been published in Neuroimage: Clinical.
Pietro Navarra was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) two years ago and took part in the research. He said: "PPMS has an impact on my short term memory, and routinely (daily) makes me feel fatigued and thus having an afternoon nap has become a necessity. I wanted to take part in the research as currently there's very few treatments for PPMS so if I could support any developments it could help myself and others. Also, if possible, I would like to actively try to get better rather than being a passenger in my decline (I hope this doesn't happen!).
I hope that this research will identify details of MS progression that can be targeted, maybe treating progression in different parts of the brain differently. I also hope it can support early diagnosis so that progression can be stopped before it has any impact.
Ben Sanders and Christopher Gilmartin from the University of Nottingham led the study. Physics Ph.D. student Ben Sanders commented: "OPM-MEG can record how the brain is working in real-time, in a range of postures, and during natural movements. Our paper shows that this unique capability can bring new insights to MS."
Christopher Gilmartin from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences added "We are now building on this with further research to track brain activity in people with MS over time. We hope that in the long-term, OPM-MEG may help us predict those individuals whose MS symptoms will get worse, and those who will have more stable disease. Such prognosis would be a significant benefit when treating MS patients"
The symptoms of MS are unpredictable and differ between individuals, this makes managing the condition very difficult. Knowing exactly how the brain is affected in people with MS is a significant step in understanding how symptoms occur. It is amasing that we can study brain function while patients stand up and hopefully soon when they walk. We hope this will eventually lead to better ways to manage it.
The MS Society is funding further research with the University of Nottingham into the progression of the condition using this system.
MS is unpredictable and often strikes at a time when people are making big life choices about careers, relationships and family. This new brain-imaging technique could help reveal subtle changes in MS in real time. In the future, this could help us track and predict progression more accurately, giving people living with MS greater certainty about the future. We're proud to be funding two new research projects launched this year at the University of Nottingham to further explore this promising technology.
