Contributions
Abstract: EP1558
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - Treatment of specific symptoms
Cognitive changes are a primary symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), resulting from damage to the integrity of diffuse, interconnected networks. Demyelination, a core pathological feature of MS, impairs conduction to the point of conduction block. This is partly mediated by "leaky" potassium channels adjacent to the nodes of ranvier, resulting in insufficient depolarisation for propagation of action potentials. Fampridine (4-aminopyridine 3-methanol), blocks potassium channels, prolonging action potentials and increasing conduction efficiency. Currently, Fampridine is commonly prescribed for the symptomatic relief of motor impariments, visual problems and fatigue in patients with moderately advanced disease (EDSS 3+). However, it is unclear whether Fampridine similarly improves cognitive performance. We sought to ascertain this using a battery of ocular motor cognitive tasks, formal neuropsychological assessments, and standard measures of gait and fatigue. 25 patients were administered Fampridine as part of their routine clinical management (initiating group). All participants were tested twice, one month apart, on and off the drug. Preliminary results from the initiating group, indicate that those patients who subjectively reported a beneficial response and continued taking the drug, demonstrated a significant improvement in cognitive performace as measured by ocular motor cognitive tasks relative to patients who reported no perceivable benefit (p < .05). These results were not demonstrable using standard neuropsychological assessments, demonstrating the relative sensitivity of ocular motor cognitive tasks. Although preliminary, these results highlight the potential efficicacy of Fampridine as a therapeutic agent in the symptomatic treatment of cognitive dysfunction, with the potential to improve one of the most debilitating and life disrupting symptoms of MS.
Disclosure: This study was funded by Biogen Idec, Australia
Meaghan Clough: Nothing to disclose
Joanne Fielding: Received funding from Novartis for another study
Owen White: Received funding from Novartis for another study
Abstract: EP1558
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - Treatment of specific symptoms
Cognitive changes are a primary symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), resulting from damage to the integrity of diffuse, interconnected networks. Demyelination, a core pathological feature of MS, impairs conduction to the point of conduction block. This is partly mediated by "leaky" potassium channels adjacent to the nodes of ranvier, resulting in insufficient depolarisation for propagation of action potentials. Fampridine (4-aminopyridine 3-methanol), blocks potassium channels, prolonging action potentials and increasing conduction efficiency. Currently, Fampridine is commonly prescribed for the symptomatic relief of motor impariments, visual problems and fatigue in patients with moderately advanced disease (EDSS 3+). However, it is unclear whether Fampridine similarly improves cognitive performance. We sought to ascertain this using a battery of ocular motor cognitive tasks, formal neuropsychological assessments, and standard measures of gait and fatigue. 25 patients were administered Fampridine as part of their routine clinical management (initiating group). All participants were tested twice, one month apart, on and off the drug. Preliminary results from the initiating group, indicate that those patients who subjectively reported a beneficial response and continued taking the drug, demonstrated a significant improvement in cognitive performace as measured by ocular motor cognitive tasks relative to patients who reported no perceivable benefit (p < .05). These results were not demonstrable using standard neuropsychological assessments, demonstrating the relative sensitivity of ocular motor cognitive tasks. Although preliminary, these results highlight the potential efficicacy of Fampridine as a therapeutic agent in the symptomatic treatment of cognitive dysfunction, with the potential to improve one of the most debilitating and life disrupting symptoms of MS.
Disclosure: This study was funded by Biogen Idec, Australia
Meaghan Clough: Nothing to disclose
Joanne Fielding: Received funding from Novartis for another study
Owen White: Received funding from Novartis for another study