Correlation between cognitive abilities and social functioning in patients with multiple sclerosis

oleh: Krasimir Genov, Maria Dimitrova

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Pensoft Publishers 2022-02-01

Deskripsi

Introduction: Cognitive impairment has been found in all stages and subtypes of multiple sclerosis (MS). It has a broad negative impact on the lives of people with MS independent of physical symptoms. Perhaps the most severe and far-reaching effect is unemployment, which results in extensive personal, social, and financial costs. Cognition has been linked to unemployment in many countries and shown to mediate the effects of disability on employment status.Aim: The primary aim of this study was to assess social functioning in the context of activities of daily living and employment in patients with MS and to find a correlation between them and cognitive performance in these patients. The secondary aim was to find an association between employment and factors such as demography, emotional factors, and disease progression. Materials and methods: The research included a study group of 100 patients with MS meeting the defined exclusion and inclusion criteria, and a control group of 40 healthy subjects. Disability was assessed with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The employment status was appraised in interviews with the subjects. The patients were divided into two groups: employed (working on a full-time or part-time job) and unemployed (not-working). The study aimed to assess the cognitive performance of all subjects. We examined cognitive domains such as short-term memory, psychomotor speed, and executive functions with a battery of neuropsychological tests.Results: We found a connection between performance on neuropsychological tests and employment and engagement in activities of daily living. Another main conclusion of our study is that unemployed are older patients with longer duration of disease. They have excessive fatigue and unsatisfied results and impairment of memory functions. As to the reasons we found in our study for losing a job, some identified factors are the presence of excessive fatigue (44%), movement disorders (41%), cognitive impairment (30%), pain (15%), dizziness (15%), dexterity (11%), emotional disorders, bowel and bladder disorders (7%), visual deficit (7%), and heat sensitivity (4%).Conclusions: Unemployed patients have severe depressive symptoms.