Myelin Damage in Normal Appearing White Matter Contributes to Impaired Cognitive Processing Speed in Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cognitive impairment is a core symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS). Damage to normal appearing white matter (NAWM) is likely involved. We sought to determine if greater myelin heterogeneity in NAWM is associated with decreased cognitive performance in MS. METHODS A total of 27 participants with MS and 13 controls matched for age, sex, and education underwent myelin water imaging (MWI) from which the myelin water fraction...