Cognitive Assessment of Function in Multiple Sclerosis
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently impairs cognitive function, affecting domains such as information processing speed, memory, attention and executive control. Cognitive assessment in MS integrates standardised neuropsychological batteries with targeted tests to detect subtle deficits early in the disease course. Instruments such as the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) are widely adopted for their sensitivity to processing speed and memory dysfunction. Assessment protocols often combine performance measures with patient-reported outcomes to gauge the impact on daily activities, employability and quality of life. Neuroimaging biomarkers, including measures of grey-matter atrophy and lesion burden on MRI, increasingly complement behavioural testing by revealing structural correlates of cognitive decline. Advances in digital technology and machine learning have begun to enable remote and automated screening, offering scalable approaches to monitor cognitive trajectories. A comprehensive assessment strategy supports personalised management by identifying individuals at risk of decline, guiding rehabilitation interventions and informing therapeutic decisions.
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Cognitive Assessment of Function in Multiple Sclerosis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in cognitive assessment of function in multiple sclerosis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Cognitive impairment: A reduction in performance across one or more mental domains relative to normative expectations, often defined by standard deviation thresholds on neuropsychological tests.
Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT): A timed substitution task measuring speed of information processing by matching symbols to numbers using a reference key.
Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS): A concise battery comprising tests of processing speed and verbal and visuospatial memory, designed for rapid screening in clinical settings.
Disease-modifying therapy (DMT): A class of pharmacological treatments aimed at altering the course of MS by modulating immune activity to reduce relapse rates and slow disability progression.
Phonetic posterior features: Probability estimates of phonetic units generated by acoustic models, used in machine learning to capture speech alterations linked to neurological conditions.
References
- Assessment and Impact of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview. Biomedicines (2019).
- The Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Neuropsychology Review (2024).
- Trajectories of cognitive processing speed and physical disability over 11 years following initiation of a first multiple sclerosis disease-modulating therapy. Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (2023).
- Extracting Phonetic Posterior-Based Features for Detecting Multiple Sclerosis From Speech. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering (2023).
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