فهرست مطالب mahsa owji

Cognitive impairments in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are suggested as a prognostic factor for disease development, and consequently higher disability and more deficits in daily and social activities. In this regard, we aimed to investigate the association between quality of life (QOL) and cognitive function in patients with MS.

We conducted a cross-sectional study on patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). General characteristic variables were carried out, and then all patients underwent assessments such as Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54), Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis (MACFIMS), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and North American Adult Reading Test (NAART).

In the present study, a total of 92 patients, including 76 women with a mean disease duration of 6.82 ± 4.80 years were involved. Results of simple Pearson correlation revealed a significant positive relation between California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) total learning with MSQOL mental health (r = 0.267, P = 0.017) and physical health (r = 0.299, P = 0.007). After adjusting for potential confounders, there was a negative correlation between MSQOL mental health with Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) (r = -0.303, P = 0.015) and Judgment of Line Orientation (JLO) (r = -0.310, P = 0.013). Besides, MSQOL physical health was negatively associated with Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R) in the adjusted model (r = -0.270, P = 0.031).

There is a statistically significant association between specific aspects of cognitive decline and QOL. Therefore, more attention should be paid to cognitive impairment in patients with MS as based on our findings, it is significantly associated with QOL.

The present study aimed to address the effect of Rituximab on the cognitive impairment in patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS).

The present interventional study used a convenience sampling method to select the study participants from SPMS patients. All these patients had progressive disability over the last two years before being admitted in the study. Prior to the administration of Rituximab, the minimal assessment of cognitive function in the multiple sclerosis (MACFIMS) test was performed for each patient who was a candidate to be included in this study. This test was repeated by passing 6 and 12 months from the initial treatment with Rituximab. Since the data needed for this study were obtained at different time intervals, so a linear mixed model was used for their analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also used to investigate whether time and sex generally affect the cognitive impairments in SPMS patients. A p-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant in this study.

Of the total 35 patients, 34% and 66% were men and women with a mean age of 41.33 and 41.39 years old, respectively. Rituximab showed a significant positive effect on a number of subgroups of MACFIMS test, including Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) (P-value: 0.038) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT-total) (P- value: 0.019).

The present study revealed that Rituximab has a positive effect on the cognitive impairment resulted from MS in secondary progressive patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) involves different organs and clinical presentations varying from respiratory symptoms to gastrointestinal symptoms and neurological symptoms. Another group of symptoms are psychiatric symptoms and according to a study, 53.8% of participants reported various degrees of these symptoms.

In this study, we presented six cases with sudden onset OCD or exacerbation of the previously controlled OCD concomitant with COVID-19 symptoms.

Obsessive compulsive symptoms can be the presenting manifestation of COVID-19.

The neuropsychiatric manifestations may be resulted from central nervous system (CNS) infiltration, and dysregulation of inflammatory factors autoimmune responses.

Emotional intelligence refers to a process through which an individual is not only capable of understanding his/her/others’ emotions, but also is able to manage them. Emotional intelligence can get disturbed due to different neurological diseases. Since cognition and emotion are directly and closely related, the present study aims to evaluate the relationship between emotional intelligence and cognitive disorders in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
The demographic data of 92 MS patients participating in this study were recorded. The emotional intelligence and cognitive disorders were studied using the Bradberry-Greaves, and MS Neuropsychological Questionnaire (MSNQ) tests, respectively.
16 men and 76 women were considered in this study. The mean age of the participants was 33.4 years, the mean duration of the disease was 6.8 years, the mean of Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was 1.97, the mean MSNQ was 21.58, and the mean emotional quotient (EQ) of the patients was 74.18. The MSNQ had a significant relationship with the total EQ and its sub-categories (P This study showed that EQ and cognitive disorders are directly relevant to each other; as cognitive disorder increases, the EQ rate decreases. Therefore, cognitive rehabilitation might be effective in enhancing the EQ in these patients.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and factors which are associated with this symptom. Eighty totals of 180 patients with MS were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. They were asked to answer the valid and reliable Persian version of the Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) questionnaires. Demographic characteristics (sex and age), duration of the disease, disease course and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were recorded for all participants. Mean BDI was 17.5 ± 11.4 in patients while mean BAI was17.7 ± 12.5 in all participants, respectively. Mean BDI and BAI were not statistically different between male and female participants. Patients with higher levels of disability (higher EDSS) had significant higher BDI and BAI scores and there was significant positive correlation between EDSS and BDI and BAI scores (rho=0.42, P<0.001, rho=0.35, P<0.001). Patients with SP (Secondary progressive) type of disease had significant higher BDI and BAI score. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that depression and disability level were independent predictors of anxiety in patients. Anxiety and factors which are related with this symptom should be considered in MS patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects physical and emotional aspects of patient’s lives. The aim of this study was to evaluate Emotional Intelligence (EI) in cases with MS. One hundred sixty six clinically definite MS and 110 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. All participants filled valid and reliable Persian version Emotional Quotient inventory (EQ-i) questionnaire, which had been developed due to Bar-On model. Mean EI total score and 12 out of 15 subscales were significantly different between patients and controls. Total EI score and most of its subscales were significantly higher in patients with RR (Relapsing Remitting) than Secondary Progressive (SP) ones. There was significant negative correlation between EDSS and total EI score (rho=-0.4, P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis between the EI as a dependent variable and sex, type of disease, level of education, age and marital status as independent variables in patients showed that type of disease and level of education were independent predictors of EI. Emotional intelligence as the ability to behave better and communicate with others should be considered in MS cases as their physical and psychological health are affected by their illness.