Daniela Taranu, Luisa T Balz, Jill Holbrook, Visal Tumani, Herbert Schreiber, Hayrettin Tumani, Ingo Uttner
{"title":"Cognitive impairment, mood, and fatigue in various multiple sclerosis subtypes: a one-year follow-up study.","authors":"Daniela Taranu, Luisa T Balz, Jill Holbrook, Visal Tumani, Herbert Schreiber, Hayrettin Tumani, Ingo Uttner","doi":"10.1007/s00415-025-13115-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Multiple sclerosis (MS) subtypes-relapsing-remitting (RRMS), secondary-progressive (SPMS), and primary-progressive (PPMS) - have been associated with distinct cognitive impairment profiles, with progressive subtypes, in contrast to RRMS, showing additional deficits in more widespread domains. Research has largely focused on RRMS, leaving SPMS and PPMS underexplored due to their lower prevalence and limited therapeutic targeting. Data on the interplay between cognitive impairment, mood, and fatigue over time are also scarce. This study examined cognition, fatigue, and psychopathology over a period of one year to identify subtype-specific impairments and progression trajectories.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixty-six MS patients (22 each with RRMS, SPMS, and PPMS) and 22 healthy controls (HC) were assessed using neuropsychological tests for attention, memory, processing speed, working memory, fluency and visuospatial functions. Patient-reported outcomes for depression, anxiety, and fatigue were also collected. Analyses included correlations, within-group comparisons (paired t-tests), and between-group comparisons (ANOVAs/ANCOVAs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Progressive MS subtypes exhibited more severe cognitive impairments, fatigue, and mood disturbances than RRMS. Over one year, treated RRMS patients improved in various cognitive domains, while PPMS patients showed gains only in visuospatial abilities. On the other hand, SPMS patients exhibited no significant changes, suggesting more pronounced cognitive deficits.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cognitive impairments differed significantly across MS subtypes. While RRMS patients improved over one year and PPMS patients showed selective gains in one domain, SPMS showed no significant changes, indicating reduced cognitive reserve. These between-group differences suggest different cognitive trajectories. The findings underscore the need for tailored, holistic interventions for different MS subtypes.</p>","PeriodicalId":16558,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurology","volume":"272 6","pages":"398"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12078348/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Neurology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-025-13115-y","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) subtypes-relapsing-remitting (RRMS), secondary-progressive (SPMS), and primary-progressive (PPMS) - have been associated with distinct cognitive impairment profiles, with progressive subtypes, in contrast to RRMS, showing additional deficits in more widespread domains. Research has largely focused on RRMS, leaving SPMS and PPMS underexplored due to their lower prevalence and limited therapeutic targeting. Data on the interplay between cognitive impairment, mood, and fatigue over time are also scarce. This study examined cognition, fatigue, and psychopathology over a period of one year to identify subtype-specific impairments and progression trajectories.
Methods: Sixty-six MS patients (22 each with RRMS, SPMS, and PPMS) and 22 healthy controls (HC) were assessed using neuropsychological tests for attention, memory, processing speed, working memory, fluency and visuospatial functions. Patient-reported outcomes for depression, anxiety, and fatigue were also collected. Analyses included correlations, within-group comparisons (paired t-tests), and between-group comparisons (ANOVAs/ANCOVAs).
Results: Progressive MS subtypes exhibited more severe cognitive impairments, fatigue, and mood disturbances than RRMS. Over one year, treated RRMS patients improved in various cognitive domains, while PPMS patients showed gains only in visuospatial abilities. On the other hand, SPMS patients exhibited no significant changes, suggesting more pronounced cognitive deficits.
Conclusions: Cognitive impairments differed significantly across MS subtypes. While RRMS patients improved over one year and PPMS patients showed selective gains in one domain, SPMS showed no significant changes, indicating reduced cognitive reserve. These between-group differences suggest different cognitive trajectories. The findings underscore the need for tailored, holistic interventions for different MS subtypes.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Neurology is an international peer-reviewed journal which provides a source for publishing original communications and reviews on clinical neurology covering the whole field.
In addition, Letters to the Editors serve as a forum for clinical cases and the exchange of ideas which highlight important new findings. A section on Neurological progress serves to summarise the major findings in certain fields of neurology. Commentaries on new developments in clinical neuroscience, which may be commissioned or submitted, are published as editorials.
Every neurologist interested in the current diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders needs access to the information contained in this valuable journal.