Open AccessPattern separation performance is decreased in patients with early multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Planche Vincent,
Ruet Aurélie,
CharréMorin Julie,
Deloire Mathilde,
Brochet Bruno,
Tourdias Thomas
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
brain and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 41
ISSN - 2162-3279
DOI - 10.1002/brb3.739
Subject(s) - episodic memory , dentate gyrus , bonferroni correction , recall , audiology , hippocampal sclerosis , hippocampal formation , separation (statistics) , psychology , neuroscience , hippocampus , medicine , cognition , temporal lobe , cognitive psychology , epilepsy , statistics , mathematics , machine learning , computer science
Background Hippocampal‐dependent memory impairment is frequent and occurs early during the course of multiple sclerosis ( MS ). While mechanisms responsible for episodic memory dysfunction in patients with MS remain largely unknown, dentate gyrus structure has been suggested as particularly vulnerable at the early stage of the disease. If true, we hypothesized that the pattern separation component of episodic memory (a function known to be critically dependent to dentate gyrus function) would be impaired in patients with early MS (Pwe MS ). Methods Thirty eight participants (19 Pwe MS and 19 healthy controls matched on age, gender and education level) were tested with a behavioral pattern separation task and also for information processing speed and visuospatial episodic memory. Results We report a significant decrease in pattern separation performance in Pwe MS compared to healthy controls (27.07 vs. 40.01, p = .030 after Holm–Bonferroni correction, d = 1.02) together with a significantly higher pattern completion rate (56.11 vs. 40.95, p = .004 after Holm–Bonferroni correction, d = 1.07) while no difference was found among groups for information processing speed and “global” visuospatial episodic memory regarding learning, long‐term recall or recognition. Conclusion Our results suggest that behavioral pattern separation task can detect subtle memory decline in patients with MS and argue for early dentate gyrus dysfunction during the course of the disease.