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Inverse relation between serum neurofilament light chain and cognitive function in chronic inflammatory demyelinating
Rohat Geran1, Oliver L Steiner2,3,4, Elena Krasivskaya2
1Department of Neurology, Motor and Cognition Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin (CBF), Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany. rohat.geran@charite.de.
Elevated serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) correlates with reduced cognitive function and longer disease duration. This suggests sNfL may indicate central nervous system involvement in CIDP.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Neurology
Background:
- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a peripheral nervous system disorder affecting Schwann cells.
- CIDP patients often experience subtle cognitive impairments and axonal damage, indicated by elevated serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between elevated sNfL levels and cognitive performance in CIDP patients.
- To determine if sNfL can serve as a biomarker for central nervous system involvement in CIDP.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-five CIDP patients completed digital cognitive tests and provided sociodemographic, clinical, and sNfL data.
- Patients were grouped by median sNfL levels, and general linear models assessed sNfL's predictive value for cognitive function, controlling for clinical factors.
Main Results:
- Higher sNfL levels were significantly linked to poorer overall cognitive performance (β = -0.31, p = 0.016) and slower processing speed (β = -0.40, p = 0.008).
- Increased sNfL was also associated with longer disease duration (p = 0.016), which independently predicted poorer cognitive outcomes (β = -0.26, p = 0.045).
Conclusions:
- Elevated sNfL in CIDP patients is associated with cognitive deficits and prolonged disease duration.
- sNfL emerges as a potential biomarker for detecting and monitoring central nervous system involvement in CIDP.
- These findings challenge the traditional view of CIDP as exclusively a peripheral disorder.
