Common patterns of gray matter volume reduction and the genetic association in multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease

Motivation: Both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients exhibit brain atrophy driven cognitive impairment. Goal(s): To identify the specific and common regions in GMV reduction in AD and MS and genetic basis associated with volume changes. Approach: VBM meta-analyses and conjunction analyses were performed for comparison. GMV associated gene expression data were extracted from Allen Human Brain Atlas by cross-sample partial least squares regression. Results: MS patients have reduced thalamic volume, while AD have hippocampal atrophy. Both MS and AD patients exhibit medial temporal lobe atrophy patterns, which were associated with 843 genes in functioning at biological processes, neurons, and immune cells. Impact: MS and AD patients have specific and common patterns of gray matter volume reduction, given a neuroimage clue that the ageing population present with similar symptoms of cognitive impairment.