A new study, published in Nature Communications, has revealed that many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience significant problems with thinking and memory despite having little physical disability.
The study was a collaboration between the UK MS Register based at Swansea University, King’s College London, Imperial College London, and the University of Cagliari, Italy.
Cognitive impairment is common in MS, affecting around 40–70% of people. It can appear at any stage and across all types of MS, sometimes even before other symptoms are noticeable. These difficulties often affect memory, attention, and processing speed.
The researchers explored the use of Cognitron, an online assessment tool for measuring and monitoring cognitive abilities, in people with MS. They adapted it into Cognitron-MS, enabling large-scale, at-home testing of cognitive difficulties. More than 4,000 members of the UK MS Register participated in the study.
The research was conducted in three stages, testing the feasibility of delivering Cognitron-MS online at home, refining the tasks most sensitive to MS-related difficulties, and then validating the results against traditional in-person assessments. This rigorous approach confirmed that the platform is a reliable and cost-effective way of measuring cognition at scale.
By analysing results across thousands of participants, researchers uncovered a distinct subtype of MS characterised by substantial cognitive difficulties but very little motor impairment. Because these symptoms are largely invisible, this group is at risk of going unrecognised and unsupported.
Associate Professor, Rod Middleton, Chief Investigator for the UK MS Register, said:
“This study highlights the real value of the Register in enabling large-scale research for people with MS and the flexibility of the platform in allowing new modalities of research. This simply wouldn’t be possible otherwise. By adapting Cognitron for MS, we can detect issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, potentially helping clinicians with diagnosis and ensuring people can get the right support for their symptoms.”
Looking ahead, researchers plan to use Cognitron-MS to monitor changes in cognition over time and to understand how these changes relate to brain function and the impact of treatments.
Read the full paper in Nature Communications.
For more background, see the MS Society news piece
The UK MS Register based in Population Data Science at Swansea University, is a ground-breaking study designed to increase understanding of what it means to live with MS in the UK. Funded by the MS Society, it provides a unique platform for large-scale research that connects directly with the lived experiences of people with MS.