Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of dichotic listening performance in multiple sclerosis

Yosef A. Berlow, James Pollaro, Christine Krisky, John Grinstead, Mathew Snodgrass, Keith Kohout, M. Samantha Lewis, Debra Wilmington, Michele Hutter, Linda Casiana, Mary Fitzpatrick, David J. Lilly, Stephen Fausti, Robert Folmer, Dennis Bourdette, William D. Rooney

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology can cause disruptions in central auditory processing. Here, we applied quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to investigate the impact of global neurodegenerative processes on dichotic listening performance in MS. We studied 28 subjects with clinically definite MS and 26 healthy controls using 3T MRI and a dichotic digits task (DDT) performed in the scanner. Subjects with MS displayed increased white matter lesions, prolonged water proton longitudinal relaxation time constants in normal appearing white matter, reduced gray matter volumes, and reduced corpus callosum areas compared with controls. No group differences were found for any of the DDT performance measures. In subjects with MS, corpus callosum area was strongly correlated with DDT performance. This relationship remained present after controlling for other measures of neuropathology, suggesting that callosal atrophy directly impacts dichotic listening performance in MS.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)283-294
Number of pages12
JournalSeminars in Hearing
Volume33
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012

Keywords

  • central auditory processing
  • corpus callosum
  • dichotic listening
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • multiple sclerosis
  • neurodegenerative

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Speech and Hearing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of dichotic listening performance in multiple sclerosis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this