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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
09:41
Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
12.1K
Early and severe cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.
Maria Fernanda Mendes1, Alessandro Finkelsztejn2, Sidney Gomes3
1MD, MSc, PhD, Department of Neurology, Medical School of Santa Casa São Paulo, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
Dementia & Neuropsychologia
|December 8, 2017
Summary
Severe cognitive impairment, a rare early sign of multiple sclerosis (MS), can rapidly develop into dementia. This condition, characterized by brain atrophy, may represent a distinct form of MS.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroimmunology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Cognitive impairment is a common symptom in MS, but severe, rapidly developing forms are rarely reported.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present four new cases of severe cognitive impairment in early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS).
- To review existing literature on severe cognitive impairment in MS due to its rarity.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records for patients diagnosed with MS and severe cognitive impairment within five years.
- Evaluation of neuropsychological test results and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.
Main Results:
- Four patients from Brazil exhibited severe cognitive dysfunction, diagnosed as rapidly developing dementia.
- All patients showed significant brain atrophy and basal ganglia lesions on MRI scans.
Conclusions:
- Severe cognitive impairment, though rare in MS, is a significant cause of disability.
- This presentation suggests that rapidly developing dementia could be considered another facet of multiple sclerosis.
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