Neuropsychological profiles comparison between Multiple Sclerosis patients and Multiple Sclerosis patients with overlapping features of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology Vol. 387; p. 578270
• Main Authors: Stavrogianni, Konstantina, Kitsos, Dimitrios K., Giannopapas, Vasileios, Chasiotis, Athanasios K., Christouli, Niki, Paraskevas, Panagiotis G., Zompola, Christina, Tsivgoulis, Georgios, Paraskevas, George P., Giannopoulos, Sotirios
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15-02-2024
• Subjects: Cognition Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction - diagnosis; Cognitive Dysfunction - etiology; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - complications; Memory; Multiple sclerosis (MS); Multiple Sclerosis - complications; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - pathology; Neuropsychological profiles; Neuropsychological Tests; Processing speed; Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) features; Neuropsychological profiles; Processing speed; Multiple sclerosis (MS); Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) features; Memory
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578270

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) are autoimmune disorders that may lead to cognitive impairment. This study aimed to compare the neuropsychological profiles of patients with MS, and MS and coexisting SLE features.
We included a total of 90 participants, divided into 3 groups: 30 patients with clinically definite relapsing remitting MS, 30 with coexisting MS and incomplete SLE (overlap group) and 30 healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent neuropsychological assessment with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), and Selective Reminding Test (SRT).
Both groups scored lower on the MoCA compared to the HC (p < .001). The overlap group showed the lowest performance on the SDMT and PASAT compared to the other two groups (p < .01), while the MS group scored similarly to the HC in the PASAT (p > .05). Regarding the learning rate and long-term recall, the overlap group had lower scores compared to both the MS and HC (p < .001), but it outperformed both groups in the retention efficacy score (p < .001). The MS group did not differ significantly from the HC in these memory domains (p > .05).
The overlap group exhibited a broader range of impairments, including slower processing speed, decreased working memory, reduced learning rate, and long-term retrieval deficits. Their retention ability remained intact. The coexistence of MS with SLE pathology had additive impacts on cognitive function.
•People with overlapping RRMS and SLE pathology display more extensive impairments in working memory and processing speed.•The MS patients struggle with initial learning, but their long-term retention and recall of information were not affected, indicating intact potential compensation mechanisms.•The patients with MS and SLE characteristics demonstrated superior retention, suggesting that cognitive deficits may be related to complex cognitive processes rather than permanent deficits.•In RRMS with overlapping SLE features, concurrent impairments in processing speed, and working memory may lead to more pronounced cognitive deficits, particularly in verbal learning processes. Retention and consolidation of information do not appear to be primarily affected.