Brain activity during working memory task in patients with multiple sclerosis able to walk independently

• Grant number: 23/08219-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - General Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Elisa Harumi Kozasa
• Grantee: Giulia Escuciato Schick
• Host Institution: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein (IIEPAE). Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Albert Einstein (SBIBAE). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune degenerative neurological disease that affects and causes disability in young adults. Neuropsychological tests can be used to assess potential cognitive difficulties that may occur in patients with MS. An important tool for the diagnosis of MS are the structural findings on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and to study brain function, functional MRI can be used. Objectives: To evaluate whether there are differences in brain activity and behavior in a working memory task between MS patients able to ambulate independently and healthy people. To evaluate the association between neuropsychological data with brain activity and performance on the working memory task. Methods: 40 women participated in the study, 20 from the MS group and 20 from the control group. The methods employed will be structural MRI, functional MRI (with the n-back task as the working memory paradigm,questionnaires and neuropsychological testing analysis.