Different cognitive profiles of Brazilian patients with relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

UNLABELLED Cognitive impairment is a symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). Different clinical forms of multiple sclerosis have different cognitive profiles, according to findings of previous studies which used extensive batteries of neuropsychological tests. OBJECTIVE To investigate cognitive profiles of Brazilian patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) by using a brief battery of neuropsychological tests. METHOD Sixty-six patients, within 18-65 of age and 3-18 years of education, were paired with healthy control subjects, regarding gender, age, and education level. RESULTS On Symbol Digit Modalities Test and Hooper Visual Organization Test, cognition was affected in 50% in RRMS and 69% in PPMS. Fluency of "F" was impaired in 24% of RRMS and 81% of PPMS. Immediate recall was affected in 32% of RRMS and in 63% of PPMS; whereas late recall, in 46% of relapsing-remitting and in 69% of primary progressive. CONCLUSION Cognitive profiles of relapsing-remitting and primary progressive patients are different.