Cognitive Impairment In Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: To assess the frequency of cognitive impairment in patients with relapsing- remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) using the Brief Repeatable Battery (BRB), as well as to explore the associations of cognitive impairment with demographic and clinical parameters and to evaluate its relation with physical impairment and quality of life. Methods: Patients admitted to our hospital's Multiple Sclerosis and Demyelinating Diseases Outpatients Clinic between March and May 2010 were assessed using the BRB, Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychological Questionnaire (MSNQ), Beck depression inventory (BDI), and the Functional Assessment of MS Quality of Life Instrument (FAMS).Results: Fifty-one patients fulfilled the study criteria. Mean test scores of the study group were PASAT 42.76±30.41; 10/36 Spatial Recall Test (SPART)-Total Learning (TL) 18.4±6.2; delayed recall (DR) 6.8±3.2; Selective Reminding Test (SRT)-TL 5.67±2.00; SRT-DR 4.67±2.00; Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) 29.84±19.50; Word List Generation (WLG) 14.14±5.74. The mean score of MSNQ patient form was 10.27±11.95; BDI mean score was 20.20±12.17; FAMS mean score was 64.18±46.52. 41.17% of patients had cognitive impairment. Age, education level, and EDSS scores correlated with cognitive impairment (p<0.01; p<0.05; p<0,01 respectively). There was no correlation between cognitive impairment and either gender or disease duration (p>0.05; p>0.05, respectively). Patients with cognitive impairment had higher depression scores (p<0.01) and lower quality of life scores (p<0.01).Discussion: Cognitive impairment is a common problem in RRMS patients and plays a major role in the quality of life. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2012; 49:178-182)