Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40407582›Full record

ReviewPediatric reports2025

Functional and Structural Alterations in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and a Preliminary Activation Likelihood Estimation Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Meta-Analysis.

Nicoletta Cera, Joana Pinto, Ricardo Faustino

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pediatric reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Nicoletta CeraFaculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-2702-8789
Joana PintoFaculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0009-0002-7659-686X
Ricardo FaustinoCross I&D Lisbon Research Center, Escola Superior de Saúde da Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, 1300-125 Lisbon, Portugal.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesPediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) is a rare and complex neuroinflammatory disease characterized by demyelination and neurological dysfunction in individuals under 18 years of age. This systematic review and activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the existing literature on functional and structural brain alterations in pediatric MS patients.

methodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 21 studies involving 917 pediatric MS patients and 320 healthy controls, assessing brain structure and function using MRI and fMRI techniques.

resultsThe results reveal consistent alterations in brain regions critical for cognitive and motor functions, including reduced brain volume, increased lesion load, and disrupted functional connectivity, particularly in the thalamus, cerebellum, and hippocampus. The ALE meta-analysis identified significant activation clusters in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, angular gyrus, and superior parietal lobes, regions associated with cognition, attention, and working memory.

conclusionsThese findings suggest that pediatric MS uniquely affects brain development, contributing to cognitive impairments that differ from those observed in adult MS. Our study underscores the importance of early diagnosis and tailored therapeutic interventions to mitigate neurodevelopmental disruptions and improve long-term outcomes in pediatric MS patients.

Indexed as

activation likelihood estimation (ALE)brain connectivitycerebellar lesionscognitive impairmentfunctional MRIneurodevelopmentpediatric multiple sclerosisstructural brain alterationsthalamic atrophywhite matter abnormalities

Identifiers

PMID40407582
PMCPMC12101243

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.