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Traumatic brain injury, race, ethnicity and cognition in newly diagnosed persons with multiple sclerosis

Jemima Akinsanya1, Jessica B Smith2, Annette Langer-Gould3

  • 1Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|April 5, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) does not explain lower cognitive scores in Black and Hispanic multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Systemic racism is the likely cause for these disparities in Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) performance.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Public Health
  • Health Disparities

Background:

  • Investigating cognitive differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) across racial and ethnic groups.
  • Examining the potential role of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in observed Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score disparities.
  • Analyzing data from the MS Sunshine Study (n=1172) including newly diagnosed MS and control participants.

Discussion:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) history did not account for lower SDMT scores in Black and Hispanic individuals compared to white individuals.
  • The association between MS, minority race/ethnicity, and reduced SDMT performance remained significant after controlling for TBI.
  • Findings suggest TBI is not the primary driver of cognitive score differences in this population.

Key Insights:

  • Lower Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) scores in Black and Hispanic participants with or without multiple sclerosis (MS) are not explained by traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  • Independent associations between MS, Black/Hispanic ethnicity, and lower SDMT scores persist after accounting for TBI.
  • This highlights the need to consider broader societal factors impacting cognitive health outcomes.

Outlook:

  • Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which systemic racism affects cognitive function in MS.
  • Interventions addressing systemic inequities may be crucial for improving cognitive health outcomes in minority populations.
  • Longitudinal studies can track the impact of social determinants of health on cognitive trajectories in multiple sclerosis.
Keywords:
Black peopleCognitionHealthcare disparitiesMultiple sclerosisRacismSocial discriminationTraumatic brain injuries

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