title: Neuropsychological assessment, quantitative MRI and ApoE gene polymorphisms in a series of MS patients treated with IFN beta-1b.
abstract: Few trials issued the effect of disease-modifying medications on cognitive functions in multiple sclerosis. We designed an open-label longitudinal study to evaluate, during 2 years, cognitive performance and its relationship with MRI data and ApoE polymorphism findings in a group of relapsing-remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS) Interferon (IFN) beta-1b-treated patients (median age 30 years, median disease duration 3.4 years). Complete neuropsychological battery was grouped into attention, information learning/memory, language and visuo-spatial functions. Fifty-two patients (33 females) were enrolled in the study. Six patients (11.5%) dropped out, mainly due to side effects. At baseline neuropsychological evaluation, we found 54% normal, 42% mildly impaired and 4% moderately impaired patients. At 2 years follow-up, cognitive status was stable in 65%, improved in 33% and worsened in 2% of patients. No significant relations were found between global cognitive outcome vs. EDSS change, clinical disease activity, MRI data or ApoE gene polymorphisms over the 2 years follow-up. EDSS and MRI fractional volumes were found to correlate with the performance at single tests. Twenty-one patients (45.6%) showed active MRI scans throughout the study, without any worsening at the corresponding neuropsychological examination. This ongoing trial suggests a possible beneficial effect of IFN beta-1b treatment on cognitive functions in RRMS patients. Extension of follow-up and further data analyses are needed to confirm and clarify these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Federico II University, Via Pansini, 5 80131 Naples, Italy. robertalanzillo@libero.it
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lanzillo
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prinster
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scarano
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liuzzi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schiavone
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orefice
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alfano
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bonavita
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brescia Morra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta