The clinical value of the patient-reported multiple sclerosis neuropsychological screening questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Cognitive problems are difficult to identify in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).Objective:To investigate the clinical applicability of the patient-reported MS Neuropsychological Screening Questionnaire (MSNQ-P). Methods: Cut-off scores were determined to differentiate between cognitively impaired (n = 90), mildly cognitively impaired (n = 115), and cognitively preserved (n = 147) MS patients using receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results: We could not define specific and sensitive cut-off scores. Higher scores (>=27) did indicate cognitive impairment. Among patients with a higher education, lower scores (<12) indicated intact cognition. Conclusion: Certain scores can indicate intact or impaired cognitive function. Still, MSNQ-P scores should be interpreted with caution.