Is there progressive cognitive dysfunction in Sjögren Syndrome? A preliminary study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rheumatology
• Psychology

Background:

• Primary Sjögren Syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease potentially affecting the central nervous system.
• Cognitive dysfunction is a reported symptom in SS, but its progression is not well understood.
• Comparing SS with migraine, a condition with overlapping symptoms, can clarify SS-specific cognitive changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the progression of cognitive dysfunction in primary Sjögren Syndrome (SS) over an 8-year period.
• To compare cognitive performance in SS patients with those who have migraine and healthy controls.
• To investigate changes in mood and fatigue alongside cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• Twelve SS patients, ten migraine patients, and ten healthy controls underwent neuropsychological, mood, and fatigue testing at baseline and after 8 years.
• Neuropsychological tests included the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Benton's Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JOLO), and others measuring reaction time, verbal fluency, and memory.
• Mood and fatigue were assessed using standardized scales.

Main Results:

• At 8-year follow-up, SS patients performed worse than migraine patients on the CPT.
• Both SS and migraine groups showed impairments in simple reaction time, Trail Making Test B, Stroop, and JOLO compared to baseline.
• Despite some impairments, both groups showed improved verbal/visual memory, WCST, and CPT reaction time; no significant cognitive decline over time was observed.
• SS patients reported higher depression and fatigue levels than migraine patients and controls, with no significant changes over time.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings suggest fronto-subcortical cognitive deficits in both SS and migraine patients.
• Cognitive function did not significantly decline over the 8-year study period in either clinical group.
• SS is associated with higher levels of depression and fatigue, independent of cognitive changes over time.