Event Related Potentials and its Correlation with Cognitive Decline in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in New Delhi

Abstract

Introduction:Multiple sclerosis is one of the common disabling neurological disorders. Cognitive deficits are emerging as the main cause of change in professional and social life. The P-300 event related potentials are delayed in latency in various disorders characterised by dementia. Here, we study the correlation of the event related potentials with cognitive decline in MS patients. Aims and Objectives:To evaluate patients with multiple sclerosis clinically and electro physiologically measuring event related potentials in respect of latency and amplitude and to co-relate it with cognitive decline.Material and Methods: 30 consecutive cases of multiple sclerosis were included in the study. All the patients were subjected to detailed neurological examination with MMSE, dementia score of Blessed et al and information-memory -concentration test. All the neurophysiologic tests were performed. Results: The mean MMSE score was 26.16 (P < 0.01). The mean dementia score was 5.43 ± 4.0 (P < 0.01). P300 latency was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in patients as comparison to control subjects. Dementia scores showed significant correlation with P300 latency when partially correlated.Conclusions: Abnormal prolongation of P300 ERP latency had a high correlation with cerebral white matter involvement and with impaired cognition in multiple sclerosis. Significance:The paper helps in identifying cognitive decline as a symptom of MS and strengthens how electrophysiology methods could be used to identify sub-clinical cognitive decline.