Publication Type Academic Article
Authors Glanz B, Holland C, Gauthier S, Amunwa E, Liptak Z, Houtchens M, Sperling R, Khoury S, Guttmann C, Weiner H
Journal Mult Scler
Volume 13
Issue 8
Pagination 1004-10
Date Published 07/10/2007
ISSN 1352-4585
Keywords Brain, Cognition Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis
Abstract Cognitive dysfunction is common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and has been associated with MRI measures of lesion burden and atrophy. Little is known about the prevalence of cognitive impairment in patients with early MS. The associations between cognitive impairment and MRI measures of disease severity early in the disease course are also unclear. This study used a brief battery of cognitive tests to determine the prevalence and pattern of cognitive impairment in patients with clinically isolated syndromes or newly diagnosed MS. The associations between cognitive impairment and MRI measures of disease severity early in the disease course were also examined. Ninety-two patients with clinically isolated syndromes or the diagnosis of MS within the last 3 years participating in the CLIMB study underwent a neurologic examination, neuropsychological evaluation and MRI at 1.5 T. Forty-nine percent of patients were impaired on one or more cognitive measures. There were no significant correlations between cognitive scores and MRI measures of disease severity including total T2 lesion volume, normal appearing white matter volume, grey matter volume, and brain parenchymal fraction. These findings suggest that cognitive impairment may predate the appearance of gross structural abnormalities on MRI and serve as an early marker of disease activity in MS.
DOI 10.1177/1352458507077943
PubMed ID 17623735
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