Tim Sinnecker1,
Timm Oberwahrenbrock1, Hanna Zimmermann1, Jan Drr1,
2, Caspar Pfueller1, 2, Lutz Harms2,
3, Thoralf Niendorf4, 5, Alexander U. Brandt1,
2, Friedemann Paul1, 2, Jens Wuerfel, 16
1NeuroCure
Clinical Research Center, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin, Berlin,
Germany; 2Clinical and Experimental Multiple Sclerosis Research Center,
Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; 3Department
of Neurology, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; 4Experimental
and Clinical Research Center, Charit - Universittsmedizin Berlin and Max
Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; 5Berlin
Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.UF.F.), Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular
Medicine, Berlin, Germany; 6Institute of Neuroradiology,
Universittsmedizin Gttingen, Gttingen, Niedersachsen, Germany
Visual disturbances are common in MS. Nevertheless, the visualization of the damaged optic radiation has remained challenging using conventional MRI techniques. Today, 7T MRI provides brilliant visibility of the optic radiation. In our study comprising 31 MS and CIS patients, we discovered a close association between focal damage to the optic radiation, optic radiation thinning, thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer and impaired visual perception. Our data i) indicate that retrograde trans-synaptic degeneration occurs in MS, and ii) suggest that the damage of the optic radiation should be considered as a differential diagnosis of bilateral optic neuritis in MS.