Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The various lesions affecting the central nervous system in multiple sclerosis (MS) lead to a wide range of symptoms. Until now, physical disabilities have been the main focus of studies on the symptoms of MS; however, cognitive impairment that prominently affects sustained attention and information processing speed has been found by neuropsychological studies to affect over half of all MS patients. Because this cognitive impairment typically involves domain-specific deficits rather than global cognitive decline, it is usually difficult to detect. Cognitive dysfunction in MS patients could influence social activities, such as employment status. Therefore, we must pay greater attention to cognitive function in the milieu of clinical neurology.