Objectively measured sedentary behavior and brain volumetric measurements in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract

This study examined the association between sedentary behavior patterns and whole brain gray matter (GM), white matter (WM) and subcortical GM structures in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). 36 persons with MS wore an accelerometer and underwent a brain MRI. Whole brain GM and WM and deep GM structures were calculated from 3D T1-weighted structural brain images. There were statistically significant (p < 0.01) and moderate or large associations between number of sedentary bouts/day and brain volume measures. The primary result was a consistent negative association between number of sedentary bouts/day and whole brain GM and WM, and deep GM structures. We provide novel evidence for decreased brain volume as a correlate of a sedentary behavior pattern in persons with MS.