Cognitive Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: An Objective Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment by Transcranial Electrical Stimulation

Abstract

Cognitive fatigue is one of the most frequent symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS), associated with significant impairment in daily functioning and quality of life. Despite its clinical significance, progress in understanding and treating fatigue is still limited. This limitation is already caused by an inconsistent and heterogeneous terminology and assessment of fatigue. In this review, we integrate previous literature on fatigue and propose a unified schema aiming to clarify the fatigue taxonomy. With special focus on cognitive fatigue, we survey the significance of objective behavioral and electrophysiological fatigue parameters and discuss the controversial literature on the relationship between subjective and objective fatigue assessment. As MS-related cognitive fatigue drastically affects quality of life, the development of efficient therapeutic approaches for overcoming cognitive fatigue is of high clinical relevance. In this regard, the reliable and valid assessment of the individual fatigue level by objective parameters is essential for systematic treatment evaluation and optimization. Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) may offer a unique opportunity to manipulate maladaptive neural activity underlying MS fatigue. Therefore, we discuss evidence for the therapeutic potential of tES on cognitive fatigue in people with MS.

Keywords: cognitive fatigue; fatigability; multiple sclerosis; objective measurement; tACS; tDCS.

Figure 1

Fatigue classification. MFIS, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale; MS, multiple sclerosis; FSMC, Fatigue Scale for Motoric and Cognitive Functions; WEIMuS, Wuerzburg Fatigue Inventory for Multiple Sclerosis; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale; NRS, Numerical Rating Scale; RT, reaction time; ↑, increase; ↓ decrease.