Altered Coupling of Psychological Relaxation and Regional Volume of Brain Reward Areas in Multiple Sclerosis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Altered Coupling of Psychological Relaxation and Regional Volume of Brain Reward Areas in Multiple Sclerosis

AU - Wakonig, Katharina

AU - Eitel, Fabian

AU - Ritter, Kerstin

AU - Hetzer, Stefan

AU - Schmitz-Hübsch, Tanja

AU - Bellmann-Strobl, Judith

AU - Haynes, John-Dylan

AU - Brandt, Alexander U

AU - Gold, Stefan M

AU - Paul, Friedemann

AU - Weygandt, Martin

N1 - Copyright © 2020 Wakonig, Eitel, Ritter, Hetzer, Schmitz-Hübsch, Bellmann-Strobl, Haynes, Brandt, Gold, Paul and Weygandt.

PY - 2020/10/6

Y1 - 2020/10/6

N2 - Background: Psychological stress can influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about neurobiological factors potentially counteracting these effects. Objective: To identify gray matter (GM) brain regions related to relaxation after stress exposure in persons with MS (PwMS). Methods: 36 PwMS and 21 healthy controls (HCs) reported their feeling of relaxation during a mild stress task. These markers were related to regional GM volumes, heart rate, and depressive symptoms. Results: Relaxation was differentially linked to heart rate in both groups (t = 2.20, p = 0.017), i.e., both markers were only related in HCs. Relaxation was positively linked to depressive symptoms across all participants (t = 1.99, p = 0.045) although this link differed weakly between groups (t = 1.62, p = 0.108). Primarily, the volume in medial temporal gyrus was negatively linked to relaxation in PwMS (t = -5.55, pfamily-wise-error(FWE)corrected = 0.018). A group-specific coupling of relaxation and GM volume was found in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) (t = -4.89, pFWE = 0.039). Conclusion: PwMS appear unable to integrate peripheral stress signals into their perception of relaxation. Together with the group-specific coupling of relaxation and VMPFC volume, a key area of the brain reward system for valuation of affectively relevant stimuli, this finding suggests a clinically relevant misinterpretation of stress-related affective stimuli in MS.

AB - Background: Psychological stress can influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about neurobiological factors potentially counteracting these effects. Objective: To identify gray matter (GM) brain regions related to relaxation after stress exposure in persons with MS (PwMS). Methods: 36 PwMS and 21 healthy controls (HCs) reported their feeling of relaxation during a mild stress task. These markers were related to regional GM volumes, heart rate, and depressive symptoms. Results: Relaxation was differentially linked to heart rate in both groups (t = 2.20, p = 0.017), i.e., both markers were only related in HCs. Relaxation was positively linked to depressive symptoms across all participants (t = 1.99, p = 0.045) although this link differed weakly between groups (t = 1.62, p = 0.108). Primarily, the volume in medial temporal gyrus was negatively linked to relaxation in PwMS (t = -5.55, pfamily-wise-error(FWE)corrected = 0.018). A group-specific coupling of relaxation and GM volume was found in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) (t = -4.89, pFWE = 0.039). Conclusion: PwMS appear unable to integrate peripheral stress signals into their perception of relaxation. Together with the group-specific coupling of relaxation and VMPFC volume, a key area of the brain reward system for valuation of affectively relevant stimuli, this finding suggests a clinically relevant misinterpretation of stress-related affective stimuli in MS.

U2 - 10.3389/fneur.2020.568850

DO - 10.3389/fneur.2020.568850

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 33117263

VL - 11

SP - 568850

JO - FRONT NEUROL

JF - FRONT NEUROL

SN - 1664-2295

ER -