Cognitive functions in Egyptian neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

Sara Salama; Hazem Marouf; M Ihab Reda; Amal R Mansour; Osama ELKholy; Michael Levy

doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2019.105621

Cognitive functions in Egyptian neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2020 Feb:189:105621. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2019.105621. Epub 2019 Nov 25.

Authors

Sara Salama¹, Hazem Marouf², M Ihab Reda³, Amal R Mansour⁴, Osama ELKholy², Michael Levy⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: ssalamafouad@gmail.com.
² Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
³ Department of Radiology, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Abstract

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, characterized by optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis. Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities may be observed in various brain regions of NMOSD patients. Only a few studies have addressed the cognitive functions in NMOSD, but none among Egyptian patients.

Objective: To investigate cognitive performance in a cohort of 20 Egyptian patients with NMOSD.

Design: Observational, prospective study.

Patients: We studied 20 Egyptian patients with NMOSD and compared them with 18 healthy Egyptian controls matched for age, sex, and educational level.

Main outcome measure: We applied an Arabic translation of MOCA and BICAMS Tests for Multiple Sclerosis.

Results: Cognitive performance was significantly worse in the NMOSD group than in healthy controls for CVLT (P = 0.0099), SDMT (P = 0.0112), BVSMT (P = 0.019) and BICAMS in total (P = 0.0014). Patients with a later disease onset performed worse in MOCA and BVSMT.

Conclusions: This study confirms the concept of cognitive involvement in NMOSD among Egyptian patients. Information processing speed was the function most commonly impaired.

Keywords: Cognitive function; Egypt; Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; Optic neuritis; Transverse myelitis.

Publication types

Observational Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Case-Control Studies
Cognition
Cognitive Dysfunction / physiopathology*
Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology
Egypt
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Status and Dementia Tests
Neuromyelitis Optica / physiopathology*
Neuromyelitis Optica / psychology
Neuropsychological Tests

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding