Contributions
Abstract: 161
Type: Oral
Cognitive dysfunction may affect 40-70% of people with MS (PwMS). Psychiatric disorders are common too: major depression has a lifetime prevalence of 50%, bipolar affective disorder is twice as common than in the general population, euphoria occurs in 9-13% and pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in approximately10% of PwMS respectively. The relationship between cognitive dysfunction and psychiatric disturbance has been well explored, mostly with respect to depression.
Depression: Evidence suggests that clinically significant depression may further impair cogntion primarily in the domains of processing speed, working memory and executive function. Depression may also influence one aspect of cogntiive reserve, namely leisure pursuits, thereby exerting an indirect, negative effect of cognitive functioning as well. Furthermore, depression can exacerbate the negative effects of real world distracters on cognition. The effects of anxiety on cogntion are not as marked as depression, although processing speed may also be affected in PwMS who are anxious.These observations raise the intriguing possibility of cognitive improvement should the depression be successfully treated.
Pseudobulbar affect: Comparisons of PwMS with and without PBA matched on relevant demographic and disease related variables reveal that the former have more extensive deficits in processing speed and executive function.
Euphoria: An association between euphoria on the one hand and brain trophy, heavy lesion volume and marked cognitive dysfunction has been demonstrated and replicated.
Bipolar Afective Disorder: There are no studies of cognitive dysfunction in association with bipolar affective disorder in PwMS.
Conclusions: When assessing cognitive function in PwMS it is important to record evidence of psychiatric disturbance given the potential of the psychiatric illness, depression in particular, to influence the results.
Disclosure: Grant support from the MS Society of Canada and speaker´s honorari from Teva, Roche, Biogen, Merck-Serono. Novartis and Sanofi-Genzyme.
Abstract: 161
Type: Oral
Cognitive dysfunction may affect 40-70% of people with MS (PwMS). Psychiatric disorders are common too: major depression has a lifetime prevalence of 50%, bipolar affective disorder is twice as common than in the general population, euphoria occurs in 9-13% and pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in approximately10% of PwMS respectively. The relationship between cognitive dysfunction and psychiatric disturbance has been well explored, mostly with respect to depression.
Depression: Evidence suggests that clinically significant depression may further impair cogntion primarily in the domains of processing speed, working memory and executive function. Depression may also influence one aspect of cogntiive reserve, namely leisure pursuits, thereby exerting an indirect, negative effect of cognitive functioning as well. Furthermore, depression can exacerbate the negative effects of real world distracters on cognition. The effects of anxiety on cogntion are not as marked as depression, although processing speed may also be affected in PwMS who are anxious.These observations raise the intriguing possibility of cognitive improvement should the depression be successfully treated.
Pseudobulbar affect: Comparisons of PwMS with and without PBA matched on relevant demographic and disease related variables reveal that the former have more extensive deficits in processing speed and executive function.
Euphoria: An association between euphoria on the one hand and brain trophy, heavy lesion volume and marked cognitive dysfunction has been demonstrated and replicated.
Bipolar Afective Disorder: There are no studies of cognitive dysfunction in association with bipolar affective disorder in PwMS.
Conclusions: When assessing cognitive function in PwMS it is important to record evidence of psychiatric disturbance given the potential of the psychiatric illness, depression in particular, to influence the results.
Disclosure: Grant support from the MS Society of Canada and speaker´s honorari from Teva, Roche, Biogen, Merck-Serono. Novartis and Sanofi-Genzyme.