Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis.

ABSTRACT

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a socially significant immune-mediated disease, characterized by demyelination, axonal transection and oligodendropathy in the central nervous system. Inflammatory demyelination and neurodegeneration lead to brain atrophy and cognitive deficit in up to 75% of the patients. Cognitive dysfunctions impact significantly patients' quality of life, independently from the course and phase of the disease. The relationship between pathological brain findings and cognitive impairment is a subject of intensive research. Summarizing recent data about prevalence, clinical specificity and treatment of cognitive disorders in MS, this review aims to motivate the necessity of early diagnosis and complex therapeutic approach to these disturbances in order to reduce the social burden of the disease.