Electroencephalographic evidence of gray matter lesions among multiple sclerosis patients: A case-control study

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate evidence of gray matter brain lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients by evaluating the resting state alpha rhythm of brain electrical activity.The study included 50 patients diagnosed with MS recruited from the MS clinic with 50 age and gender-matched control participants. The study investigated parameters of posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) in the electroencephalography (EEG) recordings including wave frequency and amplitude. Functional disability among the patients was evaluated according to the expanded disability status scale. Univariate statistical analysis was completed using one-way analysis of variance and t test with a P value of less than .05 to indicate statistical significance.Patients with MS had significantly lower PDR frequency and amplitude values compared to the controls (P value < .01) and 34% of the MS patients had a PDR frequency of less than 8.5 Hz. The PDR frequency was negatively associated with the level of functional disability among the patients (P value <.001) and 4% of the patients had abnormal epileptiform discharges.Background slowing of resting alpha rhythms and epileptiform discharges are suggestive of gray matter degeneration and may help in the prediction and follow-up of cortical damage and functional disabilities among MS patients. Therefore, electroencephalography monitoring of the PDR spectrum may serve as an alternative or complementary tool with other imaging techniques to detect and monitor cerebral cortical lesions.