Cognitive Dysfunction in MS: Using Altered Brain Oscillation to Link Molecular Mechanisms With Clinical Outcomes

Up to 65% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience cognitive dysfunction. Diminution of mental capacity has a pervasive and profound impact on their quality of life. Subtle changes in white matter predict cognitive changes in these patients but how this disrupts brain function remains unclear. Development of effective therapeutics to restore normal cognition hinges on elucidating these functional changes. The investigators seek to uncover the patho-physiological basis for cognitive decline in MS. The investigators hypothesize that cognitive decline originates from disrupted gamma oscillations and that gamma oscillations are disrupted by molecular changes triggered by demyelination.