The Relationship between Cognitive Dysfunction and Postural Stability in Multiple Sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease.
• Common MS symptoms include balance dysfunction, fatigue syndrome, and cognitive impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cognitive functions and static posture control in MS patients.
• To explore the relationship between cognitive status, fatigue, and postural stability.

Main Methods:

• 76 randomized MS patients were assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and a stabilometric platform.
• Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) based on age.
• Spearman's correlation was used to analyze relationships between variables.

Main Results:

• Men showed poorer stabilometric platform measurements compared to women.
• Significant differences in postural stability were found between patients with no dysfunction and those with severe cognitive impairment.
• Postural stability correlated with body mass index across all patient subgroups.

Conclusions:

• Body mass index and cognitive status significantly influence postural stability in MS patients.
• These findings highlight the importance of assessing cognitive function and BMI in managing MS-related balance issues.