Multiple Sclerosis and Cognition
PODCAST
The Role of MRI in Assessing MS-Related Cognitive Impairment By Projects In Knowledge, Inc (Neurology)
The goal of this podcast is to provide up-to-date information on strategies for early diagnosis and current and emerging treatment interventions for MS patients with cognitive dysfunction that incorporate best practices to improve patient outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease of the CNS that is characterised by widespread lesions in the brain and spinal cord. MS results in motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, all of which can occur independently of one another. The common cognitive symptoms include deficits in complex attention, efficiency of information processing, executive functioning, processing speed, and long-term memory. These deficits detrimentally affect many aspects of daily life, such as the ability to run a household, participate fully in society, and maintain employment—factors that can all affect the overall quality of life of the patient. The increased use of neuroimaging techniques in patients with MS has advanced our understanding of structural and functional changes in the brain that are characteristic of this disease, although much remains to be learned. Moreover, examination of efforts to treat the cognitive deficits in MS is still in the early stages. [Chiaravalloti & DeLuca (2008). The Lancet Neurology, 7(12): 1139-1151.]
FURTHER READING
- Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. I. Frequency, patterns, and prediction [Rao, et al. (1991). Neurology, 41:685-691.]Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. II. Impact on employment and social functioning [Rao, et al. (1991). Neurology, 41:692‐696.]
- Neuropsychological rehabilitation does not improve cognitive performance but reduces perceived cognitive deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomised, controlled, multi-centre trial [Mantynen, et al. (2014). Multiple Sclerosis, 20(1):99-107.]