Association of subcortical structural shapes with fatigue in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

Although fatigue is a major symptom in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We explored the relationship between subcortical structures and fatigue severity to identify neural substrates of fatigue in NMOSD. Clinical characteristics with brain magnetic resonance imaging were evaluated in forty patients with NMOSD. Fatigue was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-fatigue) questionnaire (a higher score indicates less fatigue). We assessed the correlation between subcortical structures and fatigue severity using surface-based shape analysis. Most of the enrolled patients showed fatigue (72.5%; mean FACIT-fatigue score, 34.8 ± 10.8). The FACIT-fatigue score was negatively correlated with Expanded Disability Status Scale and Beck Depression Inventory scores (r = − 0.382, p = 0.016; r = − 0.578, p < 0.001). We observed that the right thalamus was the only extracted region for various threshold experiments. Further, patients with lower FACIT-fatigue scores (more fatigue) had decreased local shape volume in the right thalamus. Fatigue is common in patients with NMOSD, and atrophy in the right thalamus is strongly correlated with fatigue severity. The local shape volume of the right thalamus might serve as a biomarker of fatigue in NMOSD.