Cognitive changes in patients with relapse-free MS treated with high efficacy therapies: the predictive value of paramagnetic rim lesions.

Background: High-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (HETs) have substantially improved multiple sclerosis (MS) management, yet ongoing cognitive decline remains a concern. This study aims to assess Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) changes in patients with stable relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) treated with HETs and to evaluate the role of baseline MRI biomarkers as predictors of SDMT changes.

Methods: Consecutive patients with RRMS treated with HETs underwent clinical, SDMT and MRI assessment at baseline with SDMT and clinical re-evaluation after 24 months.

Brief international cognitive assessment for MS (BICAMS) and NEDA maintenance in MS patients: A 2-year follow-up longitudinal study.

Background: The Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) has been validated in many cross-sectional studies. However, longitudinal data on BICAMS subset trajectories and their correlation with disease activity during follow-up are scarce.

Objectives: We aimed to (i) assess BICAMS changes in MS patients initiating high-efficacy disease-modifying-treatments (DMTs), (ii) compare these changes based on maintenance of "no-evidence-of-disease-activity" (NEDA-3) status over 24 months, and (iii) determine baseline clinical parameters predictive of cognitive changes.