Parallel changes in structural and functional measures of optic nerve myelination after optic neuritis

Anneke van der Walt, Scott C Kolbe, Peter J Mitchell, Yejun Wang, Helmut Butzkueven, Gary Egan, Con Yiannikas, Stuart Graham, Trevor J Kilpatrick, Alexander Klistorner

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Abstract

Introduction Visual evoked potential (VEP) latency prolongation and optic nerve lesion length after acute optic neuritis (ON) corresponds to the degree of demyelination, while subsequent recovery of latency may represent optic nerve remyelination. We aimed to investigate the relationship between multifocal VEP (mfVEP) latency and optic nerve lesion length after acute ON. Methods Thirty acute ON patients were studied at 1,3,6 and 12 months using mfVEP and at 1 and 12 months with optic nerve MRI. LogMAR and low contrast visual acuity were documented. By one month, the mfVEP amplitude had recovered sufficiently for latency to be measured in 23 (76.7 ) patients with seven patients having no recordable mfVEP in more than 66 of segments in at least one test. Only data from these 23 patients was analysed further. Results Both latency and lesion length showed significant recovery during the follow-up period. Lesion length and mfVEP latency were highly correlated at 1 (r = 0.94, p =
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0121084
Number of pages11
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume10
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

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