Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42676004›Full record

ArticleCNS neuroscience & therapeutics2026

Prefrontal Neurovascular Coupling Abnormalities Associated With Cognitive Performance in Multiple Sclerosis.

Ruisi Gong, Hao Zhang, Jinlin Jiao, Lei Liu, Xiaohan Xu, Huiwen Song, Yuexin Zhou, Yuanjie Duan, Hefei Fu, Jibin Cao and 1 more

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In one paragraph

Article in CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Ruisi GongDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Hao ZhangDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Jinlin JiaoDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Lei LiuDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Xiaohan XuDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3501-5398
Huiwen SongDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Yuexin ZhouDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Yuanjie DuanDepartment of Neurology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Hefei FuDepartment of Neurology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3817-0163
Jibin CaoDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Lingling CuiDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1367-5851

Funding

National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices NMED2025CX-01-003Science and Technology Project of Liaoning Province, China 2023JH2/20200020
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCognitive impairment is a prevalent and debilitating feature in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet its pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. Dysfunction of the neurovascular unit (NVU) and impaired neurovascular coupling (NVC) may be related to cognitive performance in MS, but this pathway remains insufficiently studied. This study investigated whether NVC abnormalities are associated with cognitive performance in MS.

methodsNinety-seven MS patients and 83 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion MRI acquisition. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) was used as an index of regional spontaneous neuronal activity, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) was quantified. NVC was quantified globally (CBF-ALFF correlation) and regionally (CBF/ALFF ratio). We analyzed the correlations between regional NVC metrics and cognitive performance and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores. Sensitivity analyses tested robustness across alternative functional metrics, gray matter volume (GMV), T2 lesion volume, disability severity, treatment status, and the relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) subgroup.

resultsCompared with HCs, MS patients demonstrated (1) reduced CBF-ALFF coupling in the ALFF-based analysis, and (2) increased CBF/ALFF ratios in the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The regional mPFC finding, particularly on the left, remained robust across sensitivity analyses and was associated with worse cognitive performance and higher EDSS scores.

conclusionThese findings suggest altered NVC in MS, with regional prefrontal abnormalities representing the most robust and clinically relevant finding. Regional prefrontal NVC abnormalities may provide a potential imaging correlate of cognitive performance in MS.

Indexed as

Cognition DisordersMultiple SclerosisNeurovascular CouplingPrefrontal CortexAdultCerebrovascular CirculationFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological Testscognitive performancemultimodal MRImultiple sclerosisneurovascular couplingprefrontal cortex

Identifiers

PMID42676004
PMCPMC13530862

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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.