Quantitative EEG differentiate Multiple Sclerosis with and without Cognitive Impairment from healthy controls at the beginning of the disease: preliminary data

Background and aims: The present study aims to asses possible qEEG differences between newly diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients with or without Cognitive Impairment (CI). Methods: We enrolled 13 patiens (18-5 years old) treated with first-line drugs for <6 months, and 16 healthy controls. All subjects underwent neuropsychological assessment including BICAMS and BDI. EEG recordings were performed during a cognitive task (computerised “SDMT” subtest of BICAMS) and at rest (5 minutes before and after task). Based on neuropsychological assessment patients were diagnosed as with -MSCI group- or without -MS group- cognitive impairment: only data from MSCI patients matched for sex, age (±5 years) and education to both an MS patient and a healthy control were analysed. Power spectrum analysis (theta, alpha, beta bands and sub-bands) were performed (EEGlab extension for MatLab). Data were log-transformed and analysed through repeated measures ANOVA. Results: A significant interaction group (MSCI, MS, control) x condition (rest, task) x band (alpha, beta, theta) was observed. Post-hoc analyses showed significant differences between MSCI and both MS and controls in all EEG bands at rest (p<.05), whereas MS patients significantly differed from controls only in alpha2 and beta bands (p<.05). In task condition MSCI significantly differed from controls in alpha and beta bands, whereas MS in theta band (p<.05). Conclusion: If confirmed in larger series, our results seem to support the hypothesis that qEEG differences exist among MSCI, MS and healthy controls, opening to a new possible neurophysiological hallmark of cognitive impairment in MS patients. Disclosure: Nothing to disclose