title: The effects of long-term interferon-beta-1b treatment on cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis: a 16-year longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease of the central nervous system that affects cognition. Short-term treatment with interferon-beta-1b (IFN-b-1b) has been shown to have beneficial effects on cognition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effects of IFN-b-1b on cognitive functioning in patients with MS over the course of 16 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen subjects with relapsing-remitting MS participated in the study. Nine of these subjects received IFN-b-1b, while seven received placebo treatment in the pivotal MS trial. After five years, all subjects were switched to IFN-b-1b treatment. At two and four years into the study, all subjects underwent a brief neuropsychological test battery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neurologic ratings; measures were repeated at 16 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across the total cohort, cognitive functioning remained relatively stable over the course of 16 years. The placebo/IFN-b-b group exhibited increased visual memory performance relative to the IFN-b-1b treatment group, but had a greater decline in verbal memory. Initial MRI lesion load demonstrated a significant, negative correlation with overall cognitive performance at 16 years (p = 0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that IFN-b-1b has beneficial effects on long-term cognition outcomes in MS.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago Medical Center, USA.
authors: Maureen
authors: M
authors: Lacy
authors: Meagan
authors: M
authors: Hauser
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Pliskin
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Assuras
authors: Mildred O
authors: MO
authors: Valentine
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Reder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000523:psychology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D057190:Stroop Test; D014145:Trail Making Test
chemical_list: D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; beta-interferon; cognition; visual memory