Cognitive Testing Could Predict Multiple Sclerosis Progression Risk

According to a study, cognitive testing could help people with inactive or benign multiple sclerosis better predict their future with the disease. Gender and brain lesions could also determine the risk of progression of multiple sclerosis years after diagnosis.

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects the nerve cells.

Multiple sclerosis can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted.

By current definition, people with benign multiple sclerosis are those who remain "fully functional" after 15 or more years from disease onset. However, people with benign multiple sclerosis occasionally develop renewed disease activity or progression, and can experience severe symptoms.

For the study, researchers looked at the cognitive test results and brain scans of 63 people with benign multiple sclerosis during a period of five years. Of those, 43 were women and 20 were men.

The cognitive tests included verbal and visual memory, attention, concentration and the speed at which the participant processed information. Brain scans revealed the number of lesions associated with multiple sclerosis on the person's brain. Follow-up neurologic exams were done every six months.

The study found that nearly 30 percent of people with benign multiple sclerosis significantly worsened over the course of five years. People who failed more than two cognitive tests (out of 10 total) were 20 percent more likely to progress over time. Men with benign multiple sclerosis were nearly three times more likely to later experience signs of multiple sclerosis compared to women. People with more brain lesions detected on scans were also more likely to develop signs of the disease.

"Our findings strongly suggest that a person's gender, cognitive state and amount of lesions on the brain are important factors for predicting multiple sclerosis progression," said study author Maria Pia Amato. "Our study highlights the importance of cognitively testing people with benign multiple sclerosis who appear to be healthy. This information might be important in tailoring the patient's treatment."
References:
1. Maria Pia Amato, et al. American Academy of Neurology.
2. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
3. Image by Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia.

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