ABSTRACT
Objectives:
To report on four new cases of severe cognitive impairment in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) and to review data on the subject since few cases have been reported worldwide.
Methods:
Retrospective evaluation of medical records of patients with severe cognitive impairment within the first five years of MS diagnosis. Results on neuropsychological tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were disclosed.
Results:
Four patients from different Brazilian neurological departments in Brazil were evaluated, all presenting with severe cognitive dysfunction classified as rapidly developing dementia. MRI images showed severe brain atrophy and basal ganglia lesions in all patients.
Conclusions:
Although rare, severe cognitive impairment in MS represents an important disability and may ultimately constitute another form of the disease.
Key words:
multiple sclerosis; cognition; dementia; basal ganglia; brain atrophy
RESUMO
Objetivos:
Relatar quatro novos casos de grave comprometimento cognitivo nas fases iniciais da esclerose múltipla (EM). Revisão da literatura no tema, uma vez que muito poucos casos foram descritos no mundo.
Métodos:
Avaliação retrospectiva dos prontuários de pacientes com grave comprometimento cognitivo nos cinco primeiros anos de EM. Os resultados de testes neuropsicológicos e de imagens de ressonância magnética (RNM) são apresentados.
Resultados:
Quatro pacientes de diferentes departamentos de neurologia brasileiros foram avaliados, todos apresentando disfunção cognitiva muito grave que pode ser classificada como demência de rápida evolução. As imagens na RNM mostraram grave atrofia cerebral e lesões em gânglios da base em todas as pacientes.
Conclusões:
Embora muito rara, a alteração cognitiva grave na EM representa uma incapacidade importante e pode, em última análise, ser outra forma da doença.
Palavras-chave:
esclerose múltipla; cognição; demência; gânglios da base; atrofia cerebral
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Full text available only in PDF format.
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Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Jan-Mar 2012
History
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Received
23 Sept 2011 -
Accepted
02 Dec 2011
