Cognitive impairment in relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify changes in cognitive abilities that affect patients with relapsing remitting form of multiple sclerosis (MS) and to find out which instrument manifests them best. The performance of MS patients was compared to a matched group of healthy people using three neuropsychological tests: Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), Stroop color and word test and Trail making test (TMT part B). Results on all three tests indicate general cognitive impairments in the group of patients. Compared to the group of healthy people patients with MS exhibited impaired ability of abstract reasoning (WCST), impaired cognitive flexibility and less resistance to irrelevant stimuli (Stroop color and word test), slowed information processing and impaired ability of shifting attention from one symbol to another (TMT). The largest differences between groups occured in Stroop color and word test as well as in TMT. The estimation of cognitive abilities of MS patients is of high importance and sistematicaly observing of changes in those abilities should be considered.