Cognitive Profile in Adult Patients With Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease: A Comparative Study With Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) has emerged as an acquired immune-mediated demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system distinct from multiple sclerosis (MS). Cognitive dysfunction and related symptoms (anxiety, depression, fatigue) and their impact on quality of life (QoL) have been in-depth characterized in MS, but data in adult MOGAD patients are very preliminary.

Methods: This study aims to characterize cognitive changes through an extensive cognitive battery, as well as anxiety, depression, fatigue, and QoL, in adult MOGAD compared to MS patients.

Results: Cognitive outcomes (number of patients with abnormal scores, score severity) depression, anxiety, fatigue, and QoL were largely comparable between MOGAD and MS patients. Most cognitive outcomes were not significantly correlated with neuropsychiatric symptoms, fatigue, and QOL in MOGAD.

Conclusions: Our study underscores the importance of cognitive and related outcomes in MOGAD patients and the need for future studies exploring their pathophysiological and cortical morphometric underpinnings and potential therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: cognition; multiple sclerosis (MS); myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody‐associated disease (MOGAD); neuropsychological battery.

FIGURE 1

Z‐scores of the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody‐associated disease (MOGAD). SDMT, symbol digit modalities test; SPART, 10/36 spatial recall test; SPART‐D, 10/36 spatial recall test delayed recall; SRT‐D, selective reminding test delayed recall; SRT‐CLTR, selective reminding test consistent long‐term retrieval; SRT‐LTS, selective reminding test long‐term storage; WLG, word list generation. *marks p < 0.05 for MS versus MOGAD comparison.