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08.08.2023 | Original article

Brain MRI disease burden and sex differences in cognitive performance of patients with multiple sclerosis

verfasst von: Jiri Motyl, Lucie Friedova, Ranjani Ganapathy Subramanian, Manuela Vaneckova, Tom A. Fuchs, Jan Krasensky, Jana Blahova Dusankova, Eva Kubala Havrdova, Dana Horakova, Tomas Uher

Erschienen in: Acta Neurologica Belgica | Ausgabe 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

Although there is evidence that shows worse cognitive functioning in male patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the role of brain pathology in this context is under-investigated.

Objective

To investigate sex differences in cognitive performance of MS patients, in the context of brain pathology and disease burden.

Methods

Brain MRI, neurological examination, neuropsychological assessment (Brief International Cognitive Assessment in MS—BICAMS, and Paced Auditory Verbal Learning Test—PASAT), and patient-reported outcome questionnaires were performed/administered in 1052 MS patients.

Results

Females had higher raw scores in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) (57.0 vs. 54.0; p < 0.001) and Categorical Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) (63.0 vs. 57.0; p < 0.001), but paradoxically, females evaluated their cognitive performance by MS Neuropsychological Questionnaire as being worse (16.6 vs 14.5, p = 0.004). Females had a trend for a weaker negative correlation between T2 lesion volume and SDMT (\(\rho\) = – 0.37 in females vs. – 0.46 in men; interaction p = 0.038). On the other hand, women had a trend for a stronger correlation between Brain Parenchymal Fraction (BPF) and a visual memory test (Spearman’s \(\rho\) = 0.31 vs. 0.21; interaction p = 0.016). All these trends were not significant after correction for false discovery rate.

Conclusions

Although, females consider their cognition as worse, males had at a group level slightly worse verbal memory and information processing speed. However, the sex differences in cognitive performance were smaller than the variability of scores within the same sex group. Brain MRI measures did not explain the sex differences in cognitive performance among MS patients.

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Titel: Brain MRI disease burden and sex differences in cognitive performance of patients with multiple sclerosis
verfasst von: Jiri Motyl
Lucie Friedova
Ranjani Ganapathy Subramanian
Manuela Vaneckova
Tom A. Fuchs
Jan Krasensky
Jana Blahova Dusankova
Eva Kubala Havrdova
Dana Horakova
Tomas Uher
Publikationsdatum: 08.08.2023
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Erschienen in: Acta Neurologica Belgica / Ausgabe 1/2024
Print ISSN: 0300-9009
Elektronische ISSN: 2240-2993
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-023-02350-7

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Brain MRI disease burden and sex differences in cognitive performance of patients with multiple sclerosis