Cognitive Deficit in Patients with Clinical Isolated Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis

Czech version

Authors: T. Štecková; P. Hluštík; V. Sládková; J. Doláková; J. Zapletalová; P. Kaňovský
Authors‘ workplace: Neurologická klinika LF UP a FN Olomouc
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2011; 74/107(5): 551-555
Category: Short Communication

Overview

Objective:
The goal of the study was to evaluate and compare the nature of cognitive deficits in clinical isolated syndrome and the relapsing-remitting type of multiple sclerosis (MS) at disease durations of 5 and 10 years.

Methods:
The study group comprised 41 patients, including 19 patients with clinically isolated syndrome and 24 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (15 patients had been treated for 5 years and 9 patients for 10 years). Patients were evaluated by means of an extensive neuropsychological test battery, aiming to address executive function, psychomotor speed, concentration and distribution of attention, visual-spatial abilities, auditory, visual and working memory, tactile perception, verbal fluency and severity of symptoms of depression.

Results:
Even at an early stage of the disease, cognitive impairment was detected in a large proportion of the MS patients, who appear to be most affected in lexical verbal fluency, auditory memory, and slower psychomotor speed. Further abnormalities included worsening of executive functions and deficits in the distribution of attention. Also weakened was the initial encoding in the visual modality of memory. The duration of the disease was not found to be significantly correlated to the severity of cognitive impairment or of symptoms of depression.

Conclusion:
Cognitive deficits in the clinical isolated syndrome are similar to those found in the later stages of relapsing-remitting MS.

Key words:
clinically isolated syndrome – multiple sclerosis – neuropsychological testing

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