https://www.euro-online.org/enog/inoc2007/Papers/mac-slots.html https://www.euro-online.org/enog/inoc2007/Papers/m https://www.euro-online.org/enog/inoc2007/Papers/mac-slots.html

Functional NIR spectroscopy in multiple sclerosis research

At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Centers in San Diego, CA, USA. Jelana Stojanovic, PhD, was awarded the Research Award for Best Poster for “Neuroimaging and Cognition using Nearest Infrared Spectroscopy in Multiple Sclerosis”. Dr Stojanovic is a postdoctoral fellow in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at the Kessler Foundation. Her fellowship is funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Dr Stojanovic, who is also an instructor at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, was first author of the award-winning poster, which was co-authored by three other neuroscientists from the Kessler Foundation: Glenn Wylie, Gerard.T. Voelbel and John DeLuca.

The poster described a study using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to evaluate working memory performance in people with and without multiple sclerosis. Results showed significant differences in frontal lobe activity between controls and individuals with MS. The latter group exhibited lower oxyhemoglobin levels as task difficulty increased, indicating greater difficulties handling more complex cognitive activities. “We know that people with MS have difficulties with working memory,” said Dr Stojanovic. “This study shows how MS affects how cerebral resources are utilised.”

Nancy Chiaravalloti, director of Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at the Foundation said, “This line of work is very important because it helps us understand the neurofunctional substrates underlying working memory impairment in persons with MS. The greater understanding we have of the impairment itself, the more capable we will be of developing interventions to improve cognition and overall quality of life.”

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