title: Improved delayed visual reproduction test performance in multiple sclerosis patients receiving interferon beta-1b.
abstract: We assessed neuropsychological function longitudinally in 30 MS patients who participated in the pivotal trial of interferon beta-1b (IFN-beta-1b). Nine patients received high-dose IFN-beta-1b (8.0 million units), eight low-dose IFN-beta-1b (1.6 MIU), and 13 placebo. There was significant improvement in Wechsler Memory Scale Visual Reproduction-Delayed Recall scores between years 2 and 4 of the trial in MS subjects receiving high-dose IFN-beta-1b. Motoric performance, MRI lesion area, and depression rating scores did not correlate with this finding. Comparison of MRI at baseline and at years 2 and 4 revealed significant changes over time for the total cohort (p < 0.02). Mean lesion area in the high-dose group did not change over time, whereas the low-dose and placebo groups had increases in total lesion area of 28 and 36%, respectively, at year 4. Expanded disability status scale scores did not change significantly between years 2 and 4 of the trial, nor did they correlate with MRI lesion area at any assessment point. We conclude that high-dose IFN-beta-1b improves delayed visual reproduction test performance in MS patients, a finding unlikely to be explained by practice effects or brain lesion area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Pliskin
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Hamer
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Towle
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Reder
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noronha
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Arnason
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D016899:Interferon-beta