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Journal of Neurology
Published in: Journal of Neurology 5/2020

01-05-2020 | Multiple Sclerosis | Original Communication

A longitudinal study of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis: is decline inevitable?

Authors: Marina Katsari, Dimitrios S. Kasselimis, Erasmia Giogkaraki, Marianthi Breza, Maria-Eleftheria Evangelopoulos, Maria Anagnostouli, Elisabeth Andreadou, Costas Kilidireas, Alia Hotary, Ioannis Zalonis, Georgios Koutsis, Constantin Potagas

Published in: Journal of Neurology | Issue 5/2020

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Abstract

Background

Numerous cross-sectional studies report cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS), but longitudinal studies with sufficiently long-term follow-up are scarce.

Objective

We aimed to investigate the cognitive 10-year course of a cohort of MS patients.

Methods

59 patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing–remitting (RR) MS were evaluated with Rao’s Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests at baseline and follow-up (at least 10 years later). They constituted 47.2% of 124 consecutive CIS and RRMS patients originally evaluated at baseline. Patients assessed at follow-up were well matched for baseline clinical characteristics with dropouts.

Results

The proportion of MS patients with overall cognitive impairment was increased by 10% within the 10-year period. When grouped on the basis of impairment in specific cognitive domains at baseline, patients originally impaired showed improvement at follow-up, while the opposite trend was observed for patients non-impaired at first assessment. A detailed case-by-case investigation revealed mixed evolution patterns, several patients fail in fewer domains at follow-up compared to baseline or failing at different domains at follow-up compared to baseline.

Conclusions

This study suggests a more fluid picture for the evolution of cognitive function in a subgroup of MS patients and contradicts the concept of an inevitable, progressively evolving “dementia”.
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Metadata
Title
A longitudinal study of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis: is decline inevitable?
Authors
Marina Katsari
Dimitrios S. Kasselimis
Erasmia Giogkaraki
Marianthi Breza
Maria-Eleftheria Evangelopoulos
Maria Anagnostouli
Elisabeth Andreadou
Costas Kilidireas
Alia Hotary
Ioannis Zalonis
Georgios Koutsis
Constantin Potagas
Publication date
01-05-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Journal of Neurology / Issue 5/2020
Print ISSN: 0340-5354
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1459
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-020-09720-8

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