Prevalence of Cognitive impairment in RRMS not as high as previously thought
A recent study published in Neuropsychology Review from Macquarie University in Australia has analysed 50 studies on Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) and found that a third of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) will experience cognitive impairment. This is a lower figure than previously published of 45-60%.
RRMS is the most commonly diagnosed form of MS - around 85% of people will be diagnosed with this form of MS. With 150,000 people in the UK diagnosed with MS and 7,100 people newly diagnosed each year, cognitive impairment will affect many people living with MS over their disease course. However, as this is smaller than previously estimated, there is reason for hope for a significant amount of people living with the condition.
While more research is required to delve deeper into risk factors, this is an important finding as it indicates that cognitive impacts are commonly affected by age and the length of time a person has MS.
Why is this finding important?
Research leader, Associate Professor of Psychology at Macquarie University, Milena Gandy, says the findings are important for people with MS.
“Most people are aged between 20 and 40 when they are first diagnosed - a time when they are establishing their career and potentially planning a family. When someone receives any new diagnosis, it is natural to search for information, and while it’s important to know there is a risk, seeing such a wide-ranging figure as 40 to 65 per cent hasn’t been helpful because it makes it easy to think the worst.
“Cognitive impacts can have a huge effect on day-to-day functioning, and the ability to keep working. This [results of this study] not only gives patients a more realistic idea of their risk level, but also lets them know what to look out for, what can be done, and to plan better for the future.”
Signs of Cognitive Impairment
Cognitive impairment in MS affects areas such as focus, attention, processing speed, memory, organisational skills, problem-solving and word recall. For many people, symptoms will be mild and will vary, presenting in some of the following ways:
- Experiencing difficulty following a conversation and becoming easily distracted, leading to challenges in maintaining concentration.
- Encountering issues with word recall, often struggling to find the appropriate words to express themselves, resulting in the sensation of the word being ‘on the tip of their tongue.’
- Difficulty processing information and responding to questions promptly.
- Exhibiting forgetfulness, such as failing to take medication correctly, or becoming disoriented in familiar locations.
- Difficulty in processing information and responding to questions promptly.
- Additionally, cognitive impairments may be exacerbated by extreme temperatures and MS-related fatigue.
Ways to Cope
Lifestyle changes, such as diet, regular exercise, getting good sleep, quitting smoking and, reducing stress and doing mental exercises, may influence the speed of cognitive deterioration. However, it is important to understand that while these changes can bring some improvements to daily life, they will not prevent MS from causing cognitive impairment.
Currently, there are no effective drug treatments for cognitive impairment associated with MS. Although some review studies have sought a DMD that will effectively improve cognitive function, no such treatment has, as yet been found. However, some non-drug treatments may be beneficial, for instance, cognitive rehabilitation therapy can improve memory and thinking skills. MS-related fatigue can affect cognition, therefore fatigue management such as attending a FACETS course can help Speak to your MS team for further advice on this.
Are you a Multiple Sclerosis researcher seeking funding for a project to benefit people living with MS? Find out if you may be eligible for a grant from MS Research and together, we can look forward to seeing the back of MS.