Different cognitive profiles of Brazilian patients with relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

UNLABELLED: Cognitive impairment is a symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). Different clinical forms of multiple sclerosis have different cognitive profiles, according to findings of previous studies which used extensive batteries of neuropsychological tests.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cognitive profiles of Brazilian patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) by using a brief battery of neuropsychological tests.

METHOD: Sixty-six patients, within 18-65 of age and 3-18 years of education, were paired with healthy control subjects, regarding gender, age, and education level.

RESULTS: On Symbol Digit Modalities Test and Hooper Visual Organization Test, cognition was affected in 50% in RRMS and 69% in PPMS. Fluency of "F" was impaired in 24% of RRMS and 81% of PPMS. Immediate recall was affected in 32% of RRMS and in 63% of PPMS; whereas late recall, in 46% of relapsing-remitting and in 69% of primary progressive.

CONCLUSION: Cognitive profiles of relapsing-remitting and primary progressive patients are different.