Swiss
Drug therapies to slow down the effects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have developed extensively over the past 20 years. However, scientists are continually looking for more detailed information about the disease’s affect on the brain in order to tailor treatment more sensitively. A three year study currently taking place at the University of Lausanne is investigating the physiopathology of MS using high and ultra-high field MRI.
Advanced MRI sheds light on MS
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology plays a major role of MS diagnostic procedure and diagnostic criteria. In addition, it has been shown to be a sensitive research method to gain knowledge about brain changes and their temporal evolution in MS. A three-year multi-disciplinary
research project
currently underway at the University of Lausanne is using advanced MRI techniques to answer some important questions about MS and its affects on the brain. Dr Cristina Granziera, the Research Group
Leader, specialises in advanced neuroimaging techniques. “In conducting my clinical work, I realized that more advanced MRI techniques could provide additional elements to understand MS
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‘The advanced MRI techniques detect even tiny structural changes in the cerebellum”
physiopathology and to improve patients’ follow-up,” she explains. “I believe that we still lack important knowledge about some key brain structures, like the cerebellum, a very complicated part of the central nervous system that normal MRI techniques cannot properly study.”
A detailed picture of MS Dr Granziera conceived the project together with the heads of the Neuroinflammatory Unit of the Neurology Service at the university hospital of
Lausanne (CHUV, Pr du Pasquier and Dr Schluep) as well as with the head of the Advanced Clinical Imaging Technology group (Siemens-CIBM) at the polytechnic school of Lausanne (EPFL, Dr G. Krueger). She explains: “Using state-of-the-art MRI techniques, I wanted to study in detail the micro-structure and function of the cerebellum and the rest of the brain. MS is a global disease, meaning it affects the whole brain and spinal cord. I wanted to integrate new information from advanced MRI techniques to create a global picture.”
Insight Publishers | Projects
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