TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of sleep on cognition and functional connectivity in patients with multiple sclerosis
AU - van Geest, Quinten
AU - Westerik, B.
AU - van der Werf, Y. D.
AU - Geurts, J. J G
AU - Hulst, H. E.
PY - 2017/1/1
Y1 - 2017/1/1
N2 - Sleep disturbances are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but its impact on cognition and functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus and thalamus is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between sleep disturbances, cognitive functioning and resting-state (RS) FC of the hippocampus and thalamus in MS. 71 MS patients and 40 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological testing and filled out self-report questionnaires (anxiety, depression, fatigue, and subjective cognitive problems). Sleep disturbances were assed with the five-item version of the Athens Insomnia Scale. Hippocampal and thalamic volume and RS FC of these regions were determined. Twenty-three patients were categorized as sleep disturbed and 48 as normal sleeping. No differences were found between disturbed and normal sleeping patients concerning cognition and structural MRI. Sleep disturbed patients reported more subjective cognitive problems, and displayed decreased FC between the thalamus and middle and superior frontal gyrus, inferior frontal operculum, anterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal gyrus, precuneus, and angular gyrus compared to normal sleeping patients. We conclude that sleep disturbances in MS are not (directly) related to objective cognitive functioning, but rather to subjective cognitive problems. In addition, sleep disturbances in MS seem to coincide with a specific pattern of decreased thalamic FC.
AB - Sleep disturbances are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but its impact on cognition and functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus and thalamus is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between sleep disturbances, cognitive functioning and resting-state (RS) FC of the hippocampus and thalamus in MS. 71 MS patients and 40 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological testing and filled out self-report questionnaires (anxiety, depression, fatigue, and subjective cognitive problems). Sleep disturbances were assed with the five-item version of the Athens Insomnia Scale. Hippocampal and thalamic volume and RS FC of these regions were determined. Twenty-three patients were categorized as sleep disturbed and 48 as normal sleeping. No differences were found between disturbed and normal sleeping patients concerning cognition and structural MRI. Sleep disturbed patients reported more subjective cognitive problems, and displayed decreased FC between the thalamus and middle and superior frontal gyrus, inferior frontal operculum, anterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal gyrus, precuneus, and angular gyrus compared to normal sleeping patients. We conclude that sleep disturbances in MS are not (directly) related to objective cognitive functioning, but rather to subjective cognitive problems. In addition, sleep disturbances in MS seem to coincide with a specific pattern of decreased thalamic FC.
KW - Cognition
KW - Functional connectivity
KW - Multiple sclerosis
KW - Sleep
KW - fMRI
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84992195257&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-016-8318-6
DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-016-8318-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 27778159
SN - 0340-5354
VL - 264
SP - 72
EP - 80
JO - Journal of neurology
JF - Journal of neurology
IS - 1
ER -