Abstract Details

Title Sex-Related Differences in Upper Limb Motor Function in Healthy Subjects and Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Multiparamentric MRI Study

Topic Multiple Sclerosis

Presentation(s) P1 - Poster Session 1 (9:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 304

Objective

To explore sex-related differences in upper-limb motor performance (9-hole peg test [9HPT]) in healthy controls (HC) and patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), and their MRI substrates.

Background Sex-related effects on performance at normative tests are increasingly investigated, for personalization of care and improving knowledge of disease pathophysiology.

Design/Methods 94 HC and 133 pwMS (right-handed) underwent 9HPT administration and brain 3T MRI with sequences for regional grey matter volume (GMV), white matter (WM) fractional anisotropy (FA) and resting state (RS) functional connectivity (FC) analysis. For association analysis of voxel-based MRI variables with 9HPT performance, we built a general linear model including a categorical group variable (female-HC, male-HC, female-pwMS, male-pwMS), 9HPT z-score, and their interaction. Associations of MRI variables with 9HPT were investigated in each group; differences of associations were tested.

Results

9HPT performance was better in HC vs pwMS and in female vs male HC, while similar in female vs male pwMS. In HC, better 9HPT performance was associated with higher volume in motor and premotor cortical areas in both sexes, with stronger positive correlations in females than in males. In pwMS, worse 9HPT performance was associated with lower volume in motor and premotor cortical areas, but sex-related differences were minimal and mostly found in cerebellar areas. WM FA analysis disclosed neither associations with 9HPT performance in HC, nor sex-related differences in pwMS. RS FC analysis showed: in the sensorimotor network, stronger associations with 9HPT performance in females vs males in HC, while no sex-related differences in pwMS; in the cerebellar network, no sex-related differences in HC but a stronger negative correlation in males vs females in left cerebellum in pwMS.

Conclusions

Sex influences 9HPT performance in HC, mainly through differences in volume and RS FC of motor and premotor cortical areas. Sex-related effect becomes secondary in pwMS, and explicated through modifications in cerebellar areas.

Authors/Disclosures
Maria A. Rocca (Neuroimaging Research Unit) PRESENTER	Maria Assunta Rocca has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Roche. Maria Assunta Rocca has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for AstraZaneca, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Bromatech, Celgene, Genzyme, Horizon Therapeutics Italy, Merck Serono SpA, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi and Teva. The institution of Maria Assunta Rocca has received research support from MS Society of Canada, the Italian Ministry of Health, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, and Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Elisabetta Pagani	Elisabetta Pagani has nothing to disclose.
Paola Valsasina	Paola Valsasina has nothing to disclose.
Alessandro Meani	Alessandro Meani has nothing to disclose.
Massimo Filippi, MD, FAAN (Ospedale San Raffaele, Neuroimaging Research Unit)	Dr. Filippi has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Alexion, Almirall, Biogen, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi. Dr. Filippi has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Alexion, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi-Genzyme, Takeda. Dr. Filippi has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Bayer, Biogen, Celgene, Chiesi Italia SpA, Eli Lilly, Genzyme, Janssen, Merck-Serono, Neopharmed Gentili, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda, and TEVA. Dr. Filippi has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Springer Nature. The institution of Dr. Filippi has received research support from Biogen Idec, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Roche, the Italian Ministry of Health, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, and Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla.

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