Cognitive Impairment and MS: Searching for Effective Therapies

摘要

Introduction: Cognitive impairment can be a significant disabling symptom in many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) leading to poor quality of life and social and economic burdens 1-3. Prevalence of cognitive impairment in MS varies from 40 to 65 1 and can affect people even in early MS 4-6. The cognitive domains commonly affected in MS include short-term memory, information processing speed, and attention 1, 7. Despite availability of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) such as interferon β, glatiramer acetate, natalizumab, and fingoli-mod for relapsing forms of MS, the beneficial effect on cognitive improvement of these therapies remains far from being clear. In theory, controlling the MS disease activity with use of such therapies should slow the cognitive impairment but this has not been studied well in the completed clinical trials of the DMTs. In addition, none of these therapies seem effective at reversing established cognitive impairment, and symptomatic therapies for this MS problem are needed.