Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: The role of thalamus

Fioravante Capone, Sara Collorone, Rosa Cortese, Vincenzo Di Lazzaro, Marcello Moccia
2019 Multiple Sclerosis  
Fatigue is very common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and is often considered as its most disabling symptom. Over the last 20 years, an increasing number of studies have evaluated the pathogenetic bases of MS-related fatigue. Converging evidence from neurophysiology and neuroimaging research suggests that a dysfunction in a cortico-subcortical pathway, centered on thalamus, is involved in the pathogenesis of fatigue. However, type and significance of such dysfunction remain unknown, and some
more » ... reported an increase in the activity and connectivity within the thalamic network, whereas others suggested its reduction. Hereby, we review the results of neuroimaging studies supporting the different hypotheses about the role of thalamic network in the pathophysiology of MS-related fatigue and discuss limitations and shortcomings of available data, highlighting the key challenges in the field and the directions for future research.
doi:10.1177/1352458519851247 pmid:31138052 fatcat:ijepq5qs5vfbnn2saibb3wfmuy