Journal of Multiple Sclerosis

Cognitive Decline in Older Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Jin Yong*

This narrative review focuses on several significant issues involving cognitive ageing and dementia in older adults with multiple sclerosis (PwMS): Are elderly MS patients more likely to experience cognitive impairment than older MS patients? Can PwMS get dementia as they age or other neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's (AD) that could be hastened by MS? Exist any relevant biomarkers that might be used to identify the cause of cognitive deterioration in elderly PwMS? What are the neurological and molecular causes of neurodegeneration and cognitive ageing in MS? Although older PwMS may exhibit rapid cognitive deterioration, current research suggests that cognitive impairment in MS can be distinguished from that caused by other neurodegenerative illnesses. Although dementia is common in PwMS, its definition is still up for debate. Although further study is needed, it may be possible to identify disease processes associated with MS and other comorbidities like AD and vascular disease in older PwMS using cerebrospinal fluid and imaging biomarkers. In conclusion, one should be aware that cognitive deterioration might occur in older PwMS due to the coexistence of various underlying illnesses. Future fundamental and clinical research will need to take these complicated aspects into account to increase diagnostic precision and gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology at play.