COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS DEPENDING ON THE DIFFERENT RISK FACTORS PRESENCE

Abstract

The aim: To clarify the influence of different risk factors on cognitive impairment (CI) in general and in separate domains and their association with MRI findings in patients with relapsing-remitting (RRMS) and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (SPMS and PPMS). Materials and methods: One hundred and thirty-seven participants with MS (102 females and 35 males) aged from 22 to 69 years were enrolled into this study. All patients completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and undergone MRI. Results: According to MS phenotypes all participants were divided into two groups: patients with RRMS (n= 106) and with progressive phenotypes (n= 31). A significant positive correlation was present between MoCA and BDI scores in all participants (p= 0,0015). Presence of anxiety did not demonstrate any valid influence on cognitive performance, although severe anxiety was significantly more often found in subjects with progressive phenotypes in presence of brain atrophy (p= 0,0028). Patients with higher education had no CI more frequently compare to those without it (p= 0,0019), whereas, participants smoking cigarettes had higher prevalence of severe CI than non-smokers (p= 0,0061). Conclusions: Among cognitive domains memory, visual-spatial and executive functions, abstract thinking were impaired the most in MS patients, though abstract thinking was more often affected in progressive forms. The results demonstrated that physical disability, depression and smoking negatively impacted cognitive performance, meanwhile presence of higher education demonstrated a favorable influence on cognition in MS patients.