title: Cognitive impairment in Chinese neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive dysfunction is frequently seen in neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, the features and influencing factors of cognitive impairment of Chinese NMO patients are unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the patterns of cognitive impairment in Chinese NMO patients, and correlate the neuropsychiatric scores with clinical and MRI parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six Chinese NMO patients, and 30 sex and age-matched healthy controls were recruited with extensive neuropsychological assessments, using the modified Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS). The demographic and clinical characteristics as well as MRI parameters were compared between cognitively impaired (CI) and cognitively preserved (CP) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NMO patients were significantly impaired in the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (P<0.05), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (P<0.001), the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (P<0.05), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (P<0.05) and semantic fluency (P<0.001). Only lower education level was associated with cognitive dysfunction in NMO (odds ratio: 0.57, P<0.05). There were no significant differences of MRI parameters regarding white matter (WM) lesions, grey matter and WM brain volume between CI and CP patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chinese NMO patients particularly demonstrated cognitive impairment in information processing speed, executive function and memory. Lower education level was the main factor contributing to cognitive impairment in NMO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China/Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-traumatic Neuro-repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China/Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, China/Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, The Netherlands yaouliu80@163.com.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: MACFIMS; MRI; Neuromyelitis optica; brain volume; cognitive impairment; white matter abnormality