Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis

ND Chiaravalloti, J DeLuca - The Lancet Neurology, 2008 - thelancet.com
ND Chiaravalloti, J DeLuca
The Lancet Neurology, 2008thelancet.com
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease of the CNS that is characterised by
widespread lesions in the brain and spinal cord. MS results in motor, cognitive, and
neuropsychiatric symptoms, all of which can occur independently of one another. The
common cognitive symptoms include deficits in complex attention, efficiency of information
processing, executive functioning, processing speed, and long-term memory. These deficits
detrimentally affect many aspects of daily life, such as the ability to run a household …
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease of the CNS that is characterised by widespread lesions in the brain and spinal cord. MS results in motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, all of which can occur independently of one another. The common cognitive symptoms include deficits in complex attention, efficiency of information processing, executive functioning, processing speed, and long-term memory. These deficits detrimentally affect many aspects of daily life, such as the ability to run a household, participate fully in society, and maintain employment—factors that can all affect the overall quality of life of the patient. The increased use of neuroimaging techniques in patients with MS has advanced our understanding of structural and functional changes in the brain that are characteristic of this disease, although much remains to be learned. Moreover, examination of efforts to treat the cognitive deficits in MS is still in the early stages.
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