Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is diagnosed prior to age 18 in up to 10% of patients, and cognitive impairment is a consequence in one third of these individuals. MS involves injury to white matter; neurons surrounded by a fatty insulating layer, which facilitates fast and efficient communication. Disruption to white matter integrity (i.e., how healthy the white matter is) has been observed as an early component of pediatric-onset MS. The cerebellum is a structure involved in motor coordination, but more recently implicated in cognitive processes, such as memory and attention. This region is particularly vulnerable due to a high propensity for lesions in this area in pediatric-onset patients compared to adults who have had MS for the same amount of time. This highlights the need to gain a better understanding of how MS affects the developing brain. While recent studies have noted disrupted cerebellum development in pediatric-onset MS, none have examined white matter integrity of the cerebellum and its impact on cognition. This study will examine whether white matter of the cerebellum is associated with cognitive functioning in pediatric-onset MS, and if changes in cerebellar white matter can predict cognitive outcomes over time. This research may provide evidence for the utility of examining white matter to detect early degenerative processes in MS, prior to the development of cognitive decline.