title: Clinical and cognitive implications of cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands in multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: The presence of cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands (CSF-OCB) in Caucasian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is supportive of diagnosis, though the relation with patients' clinical and specifically cognitive features has never been established or thoroughly examined. Thus, we investigated the clinical and for the first time the cognitive profile of MS patients in relation to CSF-OCB. We studied 108 patients with and without OCB and recorded demographic characteristics and detailed clinical data. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery covering different cognitive domains (attention/processing speed, memory, perception/constructions, reasoning, executive functions) was administered to MS patients and 142 demographically related healthy controls (HC). We did not find any significant differences between patients with and without OCB on demographic and clinical parameters (p > 0.05), including subtype and brain neuroimaging findings. Results revealed significantly higher cognitive scores in HC compared to both OCB subgroups, with more widespread cognitive changes in patients with OCB. Analysis between OCB subgroups showed significantly worse performance in patients with OCB on visual memory (Rey's complex figure test-recall; p = 0.006). Concluding, the presence of CSF-OCB in our MS patients tends to be related to more widespread cognitive changes, specifically worse visual memory. Future longitudinal studies in different populations are warranted to better clarify the clinical and cognitive characteristics related to CSF-OCB which could serve as early biomarker in disease monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics Laboratory and Clinic of Demyelinating Diseases, First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sofias Avenue, 115 28, Athens, Greece. managnost@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anagnostouli
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychological Laboratory, First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Foteini
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Christidi
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychological Laboratory, First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zalonis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Chryssoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lyrakos
authors.affiliation: First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Triantafyllou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Evdokimidis
authors.affiliation: First Department of Neurology, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kilidireas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae
chemical_list: D043025:Oligoclonal Bands
keywords: Brain MRI; Cognitive function; Corpus callosum; Multiple sclerosis; Neuropsychological assessment; Oligoclonal bands