Alexithymia in radiologically isolated syndrome

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Clinical Neurology

Background:

• Alexithymia, a condition involving difficulty identifying and describing emotions, has an unknown prevalence in radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), the early stage of multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Understanding alexithymia in RIS is crucial for potential early interventions and managing psychological well-being in individuals at risk for MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of alexithymia in individuals with RIS.
• To investigate the relationship between alexithymia, cognitive function, depression, fatigue, and quality of life in RIS patients.

Main Methods:

• The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was administered to 29 RIS patients, age/gender-matched healthy controls, and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients (EDSS <3).
• Cognitive function (BCCOG-SEP), depression (Fast-BDI), fatigue (EMIF), and quality of life (SEP-59) were assessed in all participants.

Main Results:

• A significantly higher prevalence of alexithymia was observed in RRMS patients (51.7%) and RIS patients (34%) compared to healthy controls (21.7%).
• Difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) was the primary factor contributing to alexithymia differences between groups (p<.001).
• In RIS, alexithymia correlated strongly with depression and cognitive fatigue, and negatively with mental quality of life, but not with cognitive measures.

Conclusions:

• Approximately one-third of individuals with RIS exhibit alexithymia, particularly difficulty identifying feelings.
• Alexithymia in RIS is associated with increased depression, cognitive fatigue, and diminished mental quality of life.
• These findings suggest alexithymia may significantly impact the daily lives and psychological well-being of individuals in the early stages of MS.