NeuroSci最新文献

{"title":"Effect of High-Salt Diet on Memory and Behavior in Mice Expressing Human Apolipoprotein Epsilon-4 (APOE4) Allele.","authors":"Riad Abdulmoniem, Mia Rivers, Gabriel Carter, Syed J Khundmiri, Jahn N O'Neil","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020043","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Apolipoprotein epsilon (APOE) is a small molecular protein that regulates lipid and lipoprotein homeostasis. Several reports demonstrated that apolipoprotein epsilon-4 allele (APOE4) expression significantly increases the genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and chronic kidney disease. However, there is inconsistent evidence of the association of AD with dietary habits, especially salt intake. Therefore, we hypothesized that high dietary salt intake would exacerbate cognitive decline in mice expressing the human APOE4 allele. We used human APOE (APOE4 and APOE3) knock-in mice to test this hypothesis. Young adult male and female mice aged 5-7 months old (<i>n</i> = 18 in each group) were fed a 4% NaCl (high-salt) or a 0.1% NaCl (low-salt) diet for 4 weeks. Metabolic cage studies were used to assess 24 h measurements of food and water intake, and urine output. Spatial memory and learning were determined using the Barnes maze test. Both the APOE3 and APOE4 mice on a low-salt diet had significantly decreased urinary volume, and female mice had lower body weight. The APOE4 mice on the low-salt diet (0.1%) performed significantly better on the 72 h probe test as compared to the APOE4 mice on 4% salt diet. The results demonstrate an association among dietary salt, memory, and APOE4 genotype.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119126/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustained Effects of Physiotherapy Interventions on Balance, Gait, and General Motor Function in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Madela Hasani, Ilektra Sidiropoulou, Anna Christakou, Antonia Marazioti, Spyridon Konitsiotis, Epameinondas Lyros","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020042","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Balance and gait problems pose a significant burden in Parkinson's disease (PD), and they are often poorly treated with levodopa. We intended to summarize evidence of mid- and long-term impact of various physiotherapeutic interventions (≥3 months post-intervention) on dynamic balance, gait, and general motor function in patients with PD.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A systematic search was conducted across the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases to identify controlled clinical trials on sustained effects of various exercise interventions in PD on the outcomes of interest (lasting ≥ 3 months after completion of the exercise program). We conducted meta-analyses on commonly used clinical measures of dynamic balance and gait ability, as well as on UPDRS-III scores using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software (CMA).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 26 studies were included in meta-analyses, with a total of 1261 participants in the experimental and 989 participants in the control groups. Positive cumulative effects at the post-exercise follow-up (3 to 23 months) were shown in favor of the intervention group regarding balance (SMD = 0.512, 95% CI [0.240, 0.785], <i>p</i> < 0.001, I² = 87%), gait (SMD = 0.614, 95% CI [0.301, 0.926], <i>p</i> < 0.001, I² = 75%), and general motor function (SMD = 0.922, 95% CI [0.559, 1.285], <i>p</i> < 0.001, I² = 87%). Heterogeneity among studies was high for all three outcomes, apparently reflecting diversity with regard to patient characteristics, type, and duration of intervention, as well as the method of outcome assessment. The certainty of evidence was consequently judged as ''low'' to ''moderate,'' according to the GRADE system. Subgroup analyses revealed that balance can sustainably improve mostly through multimodal rather than targeted balance-oriented exercise but also through dual-task exercise, tai chi, and Pilates. Gait showed improvement at follow-up mainly through multimodal exercise, aerobic exercise, dual-task exercise, and Pilates, with benefits confined to early- and mid-stage disease. Sustained UPDRS-III improvement could be achieved through multimodal exercise, which showed a large overall effect but also through aerobic, resistance, and dual-task training, tai chi and qigong.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Exercise interventions can improve balance and gait, as well as preserve the overall motor function in patients with PD, also in the mid- and long-term post-intervention periods.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Emerging Role of Explainable Artificial Intelligence in EEG-Based Autism Research: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Maria Eugenia Martelli, Simone Colella, Roberta Meloni, Federica Gigliotti, Antonello Rosato, Massimo Panella, Carla Sogos","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020041","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has intensified research efforts aimed at clarifying its neurobiological underpinnings. Electroencephalography (EEG) has enabled the identification of functional alterations in neuronal networks, contributing to the characterization of ASD-related brain dynamics and supporting the investigation of links between neural processes and behavioral impairments. In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods have been increasingly applied to EEG analysis, allowing the extraction of complex, high-dimensional features. However, the limited interpretability of many AI-based models represents a major barrier to their clinical translation. To address this issue, Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) approaches have emerged as promising tools to enhance model transparency and neurobiological interpretability. This systematic review examined studies explicitly applying XAI techniques to EEG or event-related potential data from individuals with ASD. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple electronic databases up to November 2025. Studies were included if they involved ASD populations, electrophysiological data, and AI-based analytical approaches with explicit explainability components. Due to substantial methodological heterogeneity, a qualitative narrative synthesis was performed. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, included articles highlighted partially overlapping electrophysiological patterns involving spectral alterations, functional connectivity, and network organization; however, some studies also revealed marked heterogeneity in study design and limited clinical characterization. Consequently, they should be interpreted with caution, as the field remains at a preliminary stage. This review outlines current trends, methodological limitations, and key gaps in XAI-driven EEG research in ASD, and discusses future directions toward clinically meaningful and interpretable neurophysiological biomarkers. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251231630).</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13118559/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biomarkers of Remote Ischaemic Conditioning in Stroke and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Narrative Review.","authors":"Marharyta Kamarova, Ali Alhashimi, Mudasar Aziz, Joyce Balami, Alison Buck, Madeline McGinnis, Arshad Majid, Ali Ali, Sheharyar Baig","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020040","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) is a promising treatment for neurological disorders. It involves cycles of temporary ischaemic stimulus, usually applied to a limb, and has shown significant improvement in neurological function in many trials. This review focuses on identifying and summarising the biomarkers of RIC that can enhance clinical practice and understanding of its mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A search was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE up to August 2025 using terms related to ischaemic conditioning. Studies were included if they were RCTs involving cerebrovascular disease, used RIC as treatment, and measured mechanistic biomarkers. We extracted and summarised data on study design, participant characteristics, RIC intervention protocols (including timing, frequency, duration, and pressure), biomarker types and measurement methods, timing of biomarker assessment, and main findings relating biomarker changes to clinical outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The review identified twenty-one RCTs examining biomarkers, including serum biomarkers, imaging markers, and other physiological indicators. Key biomarkers identified include systemic inflammatory cytokines and various imaging markers such as cerebral blood flow (CBF), white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BA-FMD).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The evidence suggests that RIC modulates various biomarkers linked to neuroprotection and recovery. Reliable biomarkers of RIC would enhance the understanding of its mechanisms and improve targeted therapies. The clinical utility of these biomarkers requires further validation through large-scale trials. Standardised protocols and longitudinal studies are essential for optimising RIC therapy and improving patient outcomes in stroke and cerebral small vessel disease. Future research should focus on expanding our understanding of these biomarkers and their interactions with RIC, leading to more personalised and effective treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13118872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stage-Specific Processing in Numerosity Working Memory: ERP Evidence for Load and Mismatch Effects in a Delayed Match-to-Sample Task.","authors":"Mengyu Duan, Zhuorui Liu, Li Sui","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020039","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Numerosity can be represented in symbolic formats and non-symbolic dot arrays. How numerosity load unfolds across WM encoding/maintenance and test-stage comparison within a single paradigm remains unclear, especially within the tested 4-6 range. We used a delayed match-to-sample task manipulating numerosity (4-6) and match status, with two test blocks (dot-digit and dot-dot). Behaviorally, a higher numerosity reduced accuracy and increased RTs in both blocks, with larger costs in dot-dot; the mismatch reliably slowed RTs. At sample onset, occipital P1 and N1 amplitudes decreased with increasing numerosity, consistent with greater perceptual/processing demands at higher load, with the strongest differences at the high end of the range. During the delay, numerosity modulation was temporally specific, emerging in the 450-650 ms posterior window and remaining significant after FDR correction across the four consecutive delay windows. At the test, the mismatch elicited a more negative N2 in both blocks (larger in dot-dot), while numerosity also modulated N2 only in dot-dot, showing a monotonic increase in negativity with load. Controlling for condition-mean logRT did not eliminate these N2 effects. P3 showed no reliable modulation, whereas a later positive component was enhanced by mismatch selectively in dot-dot. Together, these results indicate stage-differentiated effects: numerosity load impacts early encoding and a circumscribed maintenance interval, whereas mismatch effects arise primarily during the test-stage comparison, with additional late evaluative activity when formats are aligned.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010725/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Benson Complex Figure Test for the Differential Diagnosis of Dementias.","authors":"Marina Papadogiani, Theodoros Fasilis, Akyllina Despoti, Vasiliki Kamtsadeli, Maria Hantzopoulou, Niki Tsinia, Evdoxia Lykou, Lina Chatziantoniou, Dimitrios Chousos, Kostas Siarkos, John D Papatriantafyllou","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020038","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Benson Complex Figure Test (BCFT) is a neuropsychological tool designed to assess visuospatial construction and visual memory with lower complexity than traditional tests. This study evaluated its ability to differentiate between major dementia subtypes. In a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 1428 participants from a Greek third-age day center (healthy participants [Controls]; patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease dementia [ADD], Lewy body dementia [LBD], Frontotemporal dementia [FTD: behavioral variant (BV), non-fluent variant (NFV), semantic variant (SV)], Corticobasal dementia [CBD], Parkinson's disease dementia [PDD], and mixed Cardiovascular dementia with Alzheimer's disease [CVD/AD]), all participants completed the BCFT and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, and education, revealed distinct BCFT profiles across dementia subtypes. Patients with CBD showed significantly lower copy scores than those with ADD (<i>p</i> = 0.006). The FTD-NFV group exhibited superior memory scores compared to all other dementia subtypes (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Poorer BCFT recognition performance was strongly associated with diagnoses of ADD (OR = 0.39, <i>p</i> = 0.012), FTD-BV (OR = 0.22, <i>p</i> = 0.025), and PDD (OR = 0.26, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Classification accuracy was highest for controls and ADD (sensitivity > 89%) but low for rarer subtypes (<25%), partly reflecting sample size limitations. In conclusion, the BCFT captures distinct visuospatial and memory profiles across dementia syndromes, supporting its potential utility in differential diagnosis, particularly for common subtypes such as ADD. Its simpler design may facilitate assessment in older adults, although validation in larger and more balanced cohorts is required for rarer dementias.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010747/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and Clinical Features of Vestibular Migraine in Different Age Groups: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Lamees A Alhajri, Renad S Manez, Husna Irfan Thalib, Abdulelah F Alshehri, Amjad M Alramadan, Lama M Alsulami, Mustafa A Al Shankiti, Mahmoud Alhajji, Abdullah Almaqhawi","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020037","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Vestibular migraine (VM) is a frequent but underdiagnosed cause of episodic vertigo, characterized by vestibular symptoms often accompanied by migrainous features. Despite its relatively high prevalence, diagnosis remains clinically challenging and may differ depending on the diagnostic criteria used. This systematic review evaluates VM prevalence and clinical features across age groups to improve recognition and guide age-appropriate management.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. This research was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, and Embase. Two independent reviewers screened studies by title and abstract, and a separate pair screened full texts. Eligible studies were observational and reported prevalence or clinical features of VM.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 874 publications were identified, leading to the review of 21 studies. Prevalence of VM varied widely, ranging from 6% to 35% in children and 2.7% to 40.9% in adults. Pooled prevalence across studies was 19% overall, 25% in children, and 14% in adults. Among patients with vertigo, the pooled prevalence was higher at 26%, with 33% in children and 18% in adults. Vertigo was the most consistent symptom in both age groups, and female predominance was observed in all age groups. Prevalence variability likely reflects diversity in applied diagnostic criteria and study design across included studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>VM is a common cause of vertigo, particularly in pediatric populations. Age-specific clinical features highlight the need for tailored diagnostic and management strategies. Future research should focus on large-scale prospective studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010794/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Analysis of Mild Behavioral Impairment in a Sample of Mexican Older Adults.","authors":"Ángela Acosta-Amaya, Salvador Sánchez-Badajos, David J Dávila-Ortiz de Montellano, Alberto Ortega-Vázquez, Ramiro Ruiz-Garcia, Nancy Monroy-Jaramillo, Yaneth Rodríguez-Agudelo","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020036","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) constitutes a late-life transition state that is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Herein, we cross-sectionally describe the MBI construct and its relationship with cognitive status in Mexican-Mestizos (MM) older adults. Participants were classified according to their cognitive and behavioral statuses using tests administered to older adults and their informants. <i>APOE</i>_rs429358/rs7412 variants were genotyped by real-time PCR. Multivariate correlation and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were used in statistical analysis. A total of 246 participants were included, 56.1% were classified as individuals with NC, 13.0% had subjective cognitive decline, and 30.9% had mild cognitive impairment. A total of 37% (91/246) of participants from all over the cognitive spectrum met the MBI criteria; among this group, <i>APOEε4</i> homozygosity was associated with two subdomains of the MBI. Subjective cognitive complaint, symptoms of depression, and cognitive decline reported by the informant were associated with an increased risk for MBI (ORs in the range of 4.7-15.89). The first three components of PCA explained 68.0% of the variance of the dataset, including the MBI-checklist total score as a main contributor. Well-known risk factors for dementia also correlated with this PCA. MBI could be a potential marker for cognitive decline in non-demented MM elderly people; however, observed associations should be confirmed in future longitudinal studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010659/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: Spectrum of Symptoms, Clinical Progress and Diagnostics-Report of Five Cases.","authors":"Klaudia Rojewska, Natalia Dynowska, Iwona Rotter, Małgorzata Niekrasz","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020035","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal prion disease of the central nervous system that develops due to the conversion of the normal cellular protein PrPc to the abnormal PrPSc molecule. The first clinical cases were described in the 1920s. The aim of this paper is to present the clinical progress of the disease and the diagnostic process, including some of the most common diagnostic traps. The paper highlights a range of symptoms that should serve as a potential warning signal for clinicians-not just neurologists-indicating the need to evaluate the patient more thoroughly.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010748/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Slowly Expanding Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Mohammad Yazdan Panah, Mehra Fekri, Zahra Zahedi, Hossein Bagheri, Saeed Vaheb, Farhad Mahmoudi, Vahid Shaygannejad, Omid Mirmosayyeb","doi":"10.3390/neurosci7020034","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci7020034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Slowly expanding lesions (SELs) have been introduced as a radiological marker of chronic active demyelination and smoldering inflammation. These lesions are recognized as indicators of disability worsening and brain atrophy in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). We aimed to provide an overview of the available evidence on the prevalence and clinical relevance of SELs in PwMS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched up to 25 May 2025, to identify studies evaluating SELs in PwMS. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We conducted a thorough review to evaluate the clinical relevance of SELs in MS. Additionally, a meta-analysis was performed using R software to estimate the pooled prevalence of SELs in MS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty studies on 4970 PwMS met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis indicated that the pooled prevalence of SELs in PwMS was 57.1% (95% CI: 44.9% to 69.3%). Moreover, the systematic review showed that SELs were associated with chronic neuroinflammation, ongoing demyelination, disability, microstructural damage, and axonal degeneration. Intervention studies also indicated that the number and volume of SELs were decreased following the administration of disease-modifying therapies.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>SELs are revealed to affect around half of PwMS and are associated with disability and disease progression in MS. These results highlight the potential role of SELs as a critical radiomarker in MS. However, future studies are warranted to validate these preliminary findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"7 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010691/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147504721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}