Cognitive Dysfunction In MS: Addressing the Emotional, Social, and Vocational Impact

Cognitive Dysfunction In MS: Addressing the Emotional, Social, and Vocational Impact

Outline

• Historical perspective

• Frequency and severity of cognitive changes in MS

• Relationship to other disease characteristics

• Functions that are affected; functions that are preserved

• Impact of cognitive dysfunction Emotional Social Vocational Medical

• How, when, and why of assessment

• Treatment options

• Strategies for clinicians

Jean-Martin Charcot

1825-1893

Charcot with Marie Whittman and Joseph Babinski

André Brouillet - 1887

There is marked enfeeblement of the memory; conceptions are formed slowly; the intellectual and emotional faculties are blunted in their totality. The dominant feeling in the patients appears to be a sort of almost stupid indifference in reference to all things. It is not rare to see them give way to foolish laughter for no cause, and sometimes, on the contrary, to melt into tears for no reason. Nor is it rare, amid this state of mental depression, to find psychic disorders arise which assume one or other of the classic forms of mental alienation.

Jean-Martin Charcot Second Lecture on Multiple Sclerosis, 1868

Long-Standing Misconceptions about MS and Cognition

• Cognitive impairment (CI) is rare in MS.

• CI only occurs in late stage MS or severe MS.

• MS is a white-matter disease and does not affect: 1) brain volume, 2) gray matter, 3) the cerebral cortex.

• If an MS patient can pass the mental status exam, everything is OK.

• Memory problems reported by MS patients are caused by stress, anxiety, and/or depression.

• Discussing CI will upset MS patients/families and ruin the “image” of MS.

Cognition and Other Disease Characteristics

• Cognitive function correlates with number of lesions and lesion area on MRI, as well as brain atrophy.

• Cognitive dysfunction can occur at any time but is more common later in the disease.

• Cognitive dysfunction can occur with any disease course, but is slightly more likely in progressive MS.

• Being in an exacerbation is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction.

• Depression can worsen cognition, particularly executive functions (Arnett et al., 1999).

Prevalence of cognitive impairment in MS

65%

64%

60%

60%

56%

56%

55%

54%

43%

65%De Smedt et al., 1984

Parsons et al., 1957

Rao et al., 1984

Staples & Lincoln, 1979

Lyon-Caen et al., 1986

Heaton et al., 1985

Minden et al., 2006

Bertrando et al., 1983

Peyser et al., 1986

Rao et al., 1991

Cognitive Impairment over a 10-Year Period

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

Percent Impaired

Baseline 4 Years 10 Years

Years of Follow-up

None Mild Moderate

Adapted from Amato, MP et al, Archives of Neurology 2001;58:1602-1606.

Longitudinal Study of Cognitive Impairment in MS

• Percent Impaired at Baseline: 26%

• Percent Impaired after 10 Years: 56%

• Predictors of Cognitive Dysfunction after 10 Years:

Higher EDSS

Progressive course

Older age

Amato, MP et al, Archives of Neurology 2001;58:1602-1606.

Cognitive Changes in Multiple Sclerosis

Severity of Cognitive Changes in Multiple Sclerosis

None50%

Mild40%

Moderate to severe

10%

The Impact of Cognitive Dysfunction In Daily Functioning

Mean scale score

Worsening

0 1 2 3

P<0.01

P<0.05

P<0.01

Work status

Social activity

Personal assistance

Community services

Financial status

Transportation

Personal residence

Cognitively intact (n=52)

Cognitively impaired (n=48)

Rao et al. Neurology. 1991;41:692.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

% E

mp

loye

d

ImpairedNot Impaired

Impact of Cognitive Impairment on Employment

Rao et al. Neurology. 1991;41:692.

Cognitive Functions Affected in MS

• Memory - acquisition and retrieval

• Attention & concentration - working memory

• Speed of information processing

• Executive Functioning

• Visual/spatial organization

• Verbal fluency - word finding

DeLuca, J. What we know about cognitive changes in multiple sclerosis. In LaRocca, N & Kalb, R (eds.) Multiple sclerosis: understanding the cognitive challenges. New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2006.

Cognitive Functions Unaffected in MS

• General intellect

• Long-term (remote) memory

• Recognition memory

• Conversational skill

• Reading comprehension

DeLuca, J. What we know about cognitive changes in multiple sclerosis. In LaRocca, N & Kalb, R (eds.) Multiple sclerosis: understanding the cognitive challenges. New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2006.

Recognizing Memory Problems

• Difficulty learning new material or needing to spend longer to make it stick

• Forgetting recent conversations, TV shows, movies

• Forgetting appointments

• Losing track of medication schedules

• Neglecting to do planned tasks

• Losing or misplacing things

• Forgetting names, phone numbers, etc.

Recognizing Impaired Attention and Concentration

• Difficulty with focus

• Cannot stick to one task without getting distracted

• Problems screening out distractions

• Difficulty with divided attention tasks, e.g., listening to a family member talk while cooking

• Running out of steam when trying to concentrate on reading material or other intellectual tasks

• Poor recall due to lack of attention when information is being learned

• Quality of work is the same but output is much less

• Cannot respond quickly when a lot of information is being presented

• Trouble dealing with tasks having a time element, e.g., card games, word games, deadlines

• Difficulty processing information coming from several different sources simultaneously

Recognizing Slowed Information Processing

Recognizing Problems in Executive Functioning

• Inability to perform jobs requiring analytic skills

• Difficulty following complex arguments or explanations; missing the point in conversations

• Trouble following through with complicated tasks

• Being too literal or concrete

• Need for increased direction on the job because of difficulty in setting priorities, organizing time, and meeting deadlines

• Trouble with “multi-tasking”

Recognizing Impaired Visual/Spatial Organization

• Gets lost when driving; confused about right/left, north/south

• Can’t do puzzles or assemble “some assembly required” items

• Trouble operating machines

• Difficulty understanding diagrams

• Problems visualizing objects without a picture— e.g., from a description, incomplete picture, or disassembled picture

A Word about Cognition and Fatigue

• Physical fatigue has less impact on cognitive performance than people think.

• Cognitive fatigue refers to a decline in cognitive performance following cognitively challenging tasks.

• Cognitive fatigue can occur even in the absence of physical fatigue.

DeLuca, J. What we know about cognitive changes in multiple sclerosis. In LaRocca, N & Kalb, R (eds.) Multiple sclerosis: understanding the cognitive challenges. New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2006.

The Psychosocial Impact of Cognitive Changes (LaRocca & Kalb, 2006)

• The ability to think, remember, and reason is central to a person’s identity. Changes in cognitive abilities:

Threaten the sense of self

Damage self-esteem and self-confidence

• Cognitive abilities form the basis of our interactions with others.

• Cognitive impairments:

Alter communication patterns

Impact other people’s perceptions

Interfere with role performance

Affect the balance in a partnership

I TOLD YOU THAT THIS MORNING!?! I DON’T THINK YOU’RE PAYING ATTENTION—OR MAYBE YOU JUST

DON’T CARE ABOUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ANYMORE….

I TOLD YOU THAT THIS MORNING…

• Possible cognitive deficit(s)?

• Possible feelings? Wife with MS Husband

• Recommended strategies?

I TOLD YOU THAT THIS MORNING…

• Possible cognitive deficit(s): memory, attention, info processing

• Possible feelings:

Wife with MS: denial, anger, anxiety, guilt, inadequacy

Husband: frustration, anxiety, abandonment

• Recommended strategies: written note, family calendar, non-distracting environment for conversations

HOW COULD YOU GET LOST?!?

YOU’VE DRIVEN THAT ROUTE

100 TIMES!!

HOW COULD YOU GET LOST…

• Possible cognitive deficit(s)?

• Possible feelings? Wife Husband with MS

• Recommended strategies?

HOW COULD YOU GET LOST…

• Possible cognitive deficit(s): memory, attention, visual-spatial, sequencing

• Possible feelings:

Wife: anxiety, loss of respect/confidence, anger

Husband with MS: anxiety, anger, embarrassment, loss of confidence

• Recommended strategies: pre-planning of route: maps in memory book; minimal distractions in car

YOU REALLY MESSED UP THE

CHECKBOOK THIS TIME!!

YOU REALLY MESSED UP THE CHECKBOOK…

• Possible cognitive deficit(s): attention/concentration, organization, planning/sequencing, problem-solving

• Possible feelings:

• Wife with MS: embarrassment, guilt, anxiety

• Husband: anger, anxiety, loss of partnership

• Recommended strategies: template, distraction-free environment

“WHERE ARE YOU?!?

OUR MEETING WITH THE CLIENT STARTED AN HOUR AGO?”

WHERE ARE YOU?!?....

• Possible cognitive deficit(s): memory, planning organization, attention, visual/spatial skills

• Possible feelings:

Boss: anger, frustration, confusion, anxiety

Employee with MS: embarrassment, frustration, fear

• Recommended strategies: calendar, tickler system, pre-route planning

MOM—I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY THAT I WAS

GOING TO SARA’S HOUSE AFTER SCHOOL!

MOM—I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY…

• Possible cognitive deficit(s): attention/concentration, organization

• Possible feelings: Mom with MS: embarrassment, guilt, anxiety anger, suspiciousness (if not true) Child: anxiety, loss of confidence, guilt (if not

being truthful)

• Recommended strategies: family calendar, distraction-free environment

When Cognitive Evaluation is Appropriate

• To establish a baseline

• There are reported changes in ability

• There is a potentially treatable condition

• Person is being started on a new treatment

• When considering an application for SSDI or vocational rehabilitation

• When there is a need to know

Note: The standard mental status examination will miss 50% of cognitively impaired patients (Peyser, 1980)

Cognitive Evaluation

• Battery of tests designed to assess areas of reported difficulties, as well as pre-existing and current strengths

• Clinical neuropsychologist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist

• Full test battery = 6-8 hours over two days

• Expensive/often without insurance coverage

• Various screening batteries available, including a 5-minute self-report instrument (MS Neuropsychological Screening Questionnaire [Benedict et al., 2003; 2004])

Treatment of Cognitive Dysfunction

• Symptomatic treatments

• Disease modifying agents

• Cognitive rehabilitation

Symptomatic Treatments – as of 2012, none shown to be effective in controlled clinical trials

•Acetylcholinesterase inhibitorsdonepezil

•Anti-fatigue agents

•Stimulants

amantadinemodafinil

methylphenidate [attention]

•Potassium channel blockers

4-aminopyridine3,4-diaminopyridine

Disease Modifying Agents

• fingolimod

• interferon beta 1a (Cohen et al., 2002)

• interferon beta 1b (Flechter et al., 2007)

• glatiramer acetate (Schwid et al., 2007)

• natalizumab (Iaffaldano et al., 2012; Portaccio et al., 2012; Mattioli et al., 2011)

• mitoxantrone (Zéphir et al., 2008)

• teriflunomide

Cognitive Rehabilitation

• Direct retraining of impaired functions

Memory exercises

Attention training

• Compensatory strategies

Notebooks, lists, organizers

Time and energy management

Substitution strategies

Guidelines for Treatment (for now)

• Symptomatic Treatments – slow progress

Not much of real value has emerged; all clinical trials have had negative results

Disease Modifying Agents – may be most important

Modest results so far, but if they can slow or halt accumulation of cerebral lesions . . .

• Cognitive Rehabilitation – common-sense help

Disappointing thus far but common-sense points to compensatory measures as best strategy

Address affective and social issues related to MS

Implications for patient care

Even mild cognitive dysfunction can impact treatment:• Your patients may not:

Show up on time for appointments Follow complex explanations Remember what they’ve been told Follow through on treatment plans

• You may want to: Provide informational brochures Provide appointment reminders Write down specific instructions Remind patients to write down their questions Invite patients to bring a family member or

friend to appointments

Recommended Strategies for Your Patients

• Get someone to work with you.

• Make up your mind that it’s OK to do things a little differently than in the past.

• Although abilities may not improve, function can be enhanced.

• Compensation is key—e.g., many memory problems can be solved with better organization.

• Consistency is essential. Stick with your program and follow through with your new strategies.

• Keep the mind active and stimulated.

Summary

• More that 60% of people with MS experience cognitive changes.

• Cognitive dysfunction is more related to MRI changes than to other disease characteristics.

• While many functions can be affected, some are more likely to be affected than others.

• The impact on individuals and families is significant.

• Disease-modifying therapies are the best protection; symptomatic medications have been shown to be of no benefit in large-scale clinical trials.

• Compensatory strategies are essential.

• Adequately treating depression may improve cognitive functioning.

National MS Society Resources for Your Patients

• Booklets

Available from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (by calling 1-800-344-4867; or online at www.nationalmssociety.org/Brochures)

MS and the Mind

Solving Cognitive Problems

Fatigue: What You Should Know

Hold that Thought

• Webcast: Hold that Thought: Cognition and MS (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/multimedia-library/webcasts--podcasts/ms-hold-that-thought/index.aspx)

• Website (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/symptoms/cognitive-function/index.aspx)

National MS Society Resources for Clinicians

• MS Clinical Care Network Website: www.nationalMSsociety.org/MSClinicalCare; E-mail: healthprof_info@nmss.org

Clinical consultations with MS specialists

Literature search services

Professional publications (Clinical Bulletins; Expert Opinion Papers; Talking with Your MS Patients about Difficult Topics; Pamela Cavallo Education Series for nurses, rehab professionals, mental health professionals, and pharmacists

Professional Education Programs (Nursing, Rehab, Mental Health)

Consultation on insurance and long-term care issues

Quarterly professional e-newsletter

Recommended Readings

Books• Feinstein A. The Clinical Neuropsychiatry of Multiple

Sclerosis (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

• Gingold J. Facing the Cognitive Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis. New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2006.

• Kalb R, Holland N, Giesser B. Multiple Sclerosis for Dummies. Hoboken NJ: Wiley Publishing, 2007.

• LaRocca N. Cognitive Challenges: Assessment and Management. In R. Kalb (ed.) Multiple Sclerosis: The Questions You Have; The Answers You Need (4th ed.) New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2007.

Recommended Readings, cont’d

• LaRocca N & Kalb R. Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding the Cognitive Challenges. New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2006.

Society Publications• Expert Opinion Paper: Assessment and Management

of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis, 2008 (www.nationalMSsociety.org/ExpertOpinionPapers).

• LaRocca N. Talking with Your MS Patient about Cognitive Dysfunction, 2009 (www.nationalMSsociety.org/PRCPublications).