Altered functional adaptation to attention and working memory tasks with increasing complexity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.

As attention, processing speed, and working memory seem to be fundamental for a broad range of cognitive performance, the present study on patients with mild forms of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) focused on these domains. To explore subtle neuropsychological changes in either the clinical or fMRI domain, we applied a multistep experimental design with increasing task complexity to investigate global brain activity, functional adaptation, and behavioral responses to typical cognitive processes related to attention and working memory. Fifteen patients with RR-MS (mean age 38 years, 22-49 years, 9 females, mean disease duration 5.