title: Cognitive impairment in early stages of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Cognitive dysfunction involves 40-65% of multiple sclerosis patients and can have a great functional impact. It can be detected in all the disease phenotypes since the early stages of the disease, and tends to progress over time. Memory, complex attention, information-processing speed and executive functions are most commonly involved. The relationship between cognitive changes and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings may involve changes in different areas, including white matter lesions, cortical and deep grey matter and normal appearing brain tissue on conventional MRI. The search for effective therapeutic strategies is a major undertaking, involving the use of both pharmacologic and rehabilitative approaches. Early treatment with disease-modifying drugs that can contain the disease burden in the brain seems to be highly advisable in order to prevent or delay the development of cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. mariapia.amato@unifi.it
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Portaccio
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goretti
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zipoli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hakiki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pastò
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Razzolini
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D056344:Executive Function; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests