Avicenna Journal of Neuropsychophysiology

en Mental Health and Cognitive Function across Multiple Sclerosis Subtypes Cognition پژوهشي Research Article <div style="text-align: justify;">Background and Objective: Mental health problems (e.g., depression, stress, and anxiety) are debilitating symptoms in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), and may be associated with cognitive dysfunction across different subtypes of the disease. This study aimed to compare cognitive performance across MS subtypes and examine the relationships between mental health symptoms and cognitive functions, in order to explore potential patterns of cognitive vulnerability in patients at various stages of MS, compared to healthy controls. Materials and Methods: A total of 97 participants aged 18-49 years old were included in this study. They consisted of 25, 24, and 24 patients with Newly-Diagnosed MS (ND), Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS), and Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS), respectively, as well as 24 healthy controls (HC). All participants completed standardized assessments of cognitive function and mental health status. Results: Comparisons among the patient groups revealed differences in cognitive functions and mental health problems, particularly depression and stress. The HC and ND groups had higher scores in most cognitive tests, especially when compared to the SPMS group. However, the ND group showed higher levels of depression and stress, compared to others. Significant negative correlations were observed between ND and RRMS groups in terms of mental health problems and certain cognitive functions. Conclusion: These findings suggest that mental health difficulties may be linked to cognitive performance even in the early stages of MS. The results underscore the importance of early psychological screening and supportive interventions to help mitigate cognitive challenges throughout the course of the disease.  </div> Cognitive Functions, Mental Health, MS Subtypes, Multiple Sclerosis 1 9 http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-990-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Narges Arab-Moghaddam narabmoghaddam@yahoo.com 10031947532846008503 10031947532846008503 Yes Assistant Professor of ACECR, Behavioral Sciences Research Group, ACECR Building, Shahid Faghihi St., Shiraz, Fars, Iran. Karim Asgari Mobarakeh k.asgari@edu.ui.ac.ir 10031947532846008504 10031947532846008504 No Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Isfahan University, Iran.