Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Journal of Neurology https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-018-8965-x ORIGINAL COMMUNICATION Relationship between episodic memory and volume of the brain regions of two functional cortical memory systems in multiple sclerosis Yolanda Aladro 1  · Laudino López‑Alvarez 2  · Jorge Mario Sánchez‑Reyes 3  · Juan Antonio Hernández‑Tamames 4  · Helena Melero 5  · Sandra Rubio‑Fernández 6  · Israel Thuissard 7  · Marta Cerezo‑García 1 Received: 19 April 2018 / Revised: 23 June 2018 / Accepted: 28 June 2018 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract Background/objective Two functional networks are proposed as neuronal support for the complex processes of memory: the anterior temporal and the medial posterior systems. We examined the atrophy of hippocampus (HC) and of those areas constituting the two functional memory systems in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with low disability. Methods Episodic memory (EM) was assessed in 88 relapsing MS patients and in 40 healthy controls using Wechsler Memory Scale III (Spanish adaptation). FreeSurfer software was used to calculate normalized volume of total cortex, grey matter, white matter, subcortical grey matter (thalamus and striatum), HC and both the anterior temporal (entorhinal, ventral temporopolar, lateral orbitofrontal, amygdala) and posterior medial systems (thalamus, parahippocampal, posterior cingulate, precuneus, lateral parietal and medial prefrontal). Linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of memory performance. Results Total grey matter and cortex volumes correlated with all subtypes of EM, and the precuneus volume correlated with overall, immediate and delayed memories. Univariant regression analysis identifed an association between the volumes of the posterior medial memory network regions and EM scores. The volume of the left precuneus area was the unique and inde‑ pendent predictor for all EM subtypes except for visual memory, for which left HC volume was also an independent predictor. Conclusion Left precuneus volume was the best predictor of memory in relapsing MS patients with low disability and mild defcits in EM. Keywords Multiple sclerosis · Episodic memory · Volumetric MRI · Functional memory systems · Precuneus · Hippocampus * Yolanda Aladro yolanda.aladro@salud.madrid.org Laudino López‑Alvarez llopez@uniovi.es Jorge Mario Sánchez‑Reyes jorgemario.sanchez@salud.madrid.org Juan Antonio Hernández‑Tamames J.hernandeztamames@erasmusmc.nl Helena Melero helena.melero@urjc.es Sandra Rubio‑Fernández sandra.rubio@uam.es Israel Thuissard ithuissard@gmail.com Marta Cerezo‑García kirschemcg@hotmail.com 1 Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Department of Neurology, Getafe University Hospital, European University of Madrid, Carretera de Toledo km 12,5, 28905 Madrid, Spain 2 Faculty of Psychology of the University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain 3 Department of Radiology, Getafe University Hospital, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 4 Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 5 Laboratorio de Análisis de Imagen Médica y Biometría (LAIMBIO), Rey Juan Carlos University, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain 6 Faculty of Psychology of the Autonoma University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 7 Department of Statistic, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain