Neuropsychological functioning in clinically referred patients with sarcoidosis: a preliminary investigation

Cognitive complaints are common among individuals with sarcoidosis, though little is known about objective cognitive performance in this group. This study examined performance on neuropsychological testing in patients with sarcoidosis who had subjective cognitive complaints, comparing performance between individuals with and without neurologic involvement (i.e., neurosarcoidosis [NS]).

This is a retrospective, observational study of individuals with sarcoidosis who were referred for neuropsychological evaluation due to cognitive complaints. Mean test performances and rates of impairment on cognitive tests were examined and compared between individuals with NS and systemic sarcoidosis (SS).

Thirty-seven individuals with sarcoidosis (n = 14 with NS) were included (Mage = 53.2 ± 10.0 years, Meducation = 14.5 ± 2.4 years, 83.8% White, 67.6% female), of whom 40.5% demonstrated cognitive impairment (CI; 2+ tests impaired). Impairments were most common on tests of verbal memory (24.2% immediate, 33.3% delayed), problem solving (25.8%), and verbal fluency (22.6%). All but one of the individuals with CI in the NS group had intracranial involvement. The main difference observed between NS and SS was worse performance on a measure of auditory attention/working memory, t(35) = -2.24, p = .03.

CI was observed in nearly half of patients with sarcoidosis who had subjective cognitive complaints. Additional research is needed to better understand the potential physiological underpinnings.