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Apathy in multiple sclerosis: gender matters.
Ana M Novo1, Sonia Batista2, Joana Tenente3
1Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal.
Summary
Apathy affects nearly half of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, often going undiagnosed. Men with MS have a significantly higher risk of developing apathy, suggesting a link to the disease
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Apathy is a common yet poorly understood symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Uncertainty exists regarding the prevalence and clinical factors associated with apathy in MS patients.
- This study aimed to clarify the prevalence and identify correlates of apathy in MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of apathy in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
- To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with apathy in MS.
- To investigate the relationship between apathy, depression, fatigue, and cognitive function in MS.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 30 MS patients and 30 age/gender/education-matched healthy controls.
- Apathy diagnosis utilized Robert et al.'s criteria and the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES-C-10).
- Depression (BDI), fatigue (MFIS), and cognitive function (MoCA) were assessed using validated instruments.
Main Results:
- Apathy was present in 43.3% of MS patients, with higher AES-C-10 scores compared to controls.
- Apathy was associated with male gender, lower education, higher depression and fatigue scores, and poorer cognitive performance.
- Male gender was the sole independent predictor of apathy (OR: 9.62; p=0.048).
Conclusions:
- Apathy is a prevalent and likely underdiagnosed neuropsychiatric condition in multiple sclerosis.
- Male gender represents a significant risk factor for apathy in MS patients.
- Findings suggest a link between apathy, disease course, and gender in MS.
