Association of Psychological Resilience and Quality of Life With Brain and Lesion Volumes in Young Patients With Early Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis
Angelica Filosa, Riccardo Orlandi, Francesca Gobbin, SIlvia Poli, Valeria Donisi, Maria Angela Mazzi, Michela Rimondini, Alberto GajofattoBackground
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that often impairs quality of life (QoL). Although psychological resilience may facilitate adaptation to MS, the interaction between psychological and neurological features of MS patients remains unclear. The objective of the present study is to investigate the association between psychological resilience, QoL, disability and structural brain MRI measures in young adults with early MS.
Methods
Forty‐six patients aged 18–45 years with a diagnosis of MS within the last 2 years were assessed. Resilience was measured using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC25) and QoL using the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life‐54 (MSQoL‐54). MRI measures included normalized brain, white matter, and gray matter volumes, and T2 lesion volume (T2LV). Disability was assessed with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Associations were examined using Pearson′s or Spearman′s coefficients as appropriate.
Results
Psychological resilience and QoL were not associated with MRI measures or disability. Physical QoL was inversely correlated with EDSS score (rho = −0.48, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
In early MS, psychological variables appear independent of structural disease burden and disability, whereas physical QoL is associated with clinical disability. These findings support a biopsychosocial model suggesting that psychological adaptation of MS patients is influenced by complex mechanisms reaching beyond conventional MRI measures of structural damage.