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Reyes-Méndez C, Gómez-Bautista D, Yáñez-Téllez G, Rodríguez-Chávez E, Moreno-Villagómez J. Neuropsychological profile of a patient with multiple sclerosis and psychiatric symptoms that masked and delayed the diagnosis. A case report using teleneuropsychology. Clin Neuropsychol 2024:1-23. [PMID: 38914594 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2024.2370963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) may include not only severe neurological signs and symptoms, but also cognitive and psychiatric disturbances. When psychiatric symptoms precede or are comorbid with MS, it poses a clinical challenge, because it may lead to a mistaken diagnosis of MS as a psychiatric disorder, delaying proper treatment. We describe the neuropsychological profile of a female patient with MS whose diagnosis was delayed due to neuropsychiatric symptoms. Method: A comprehensive analysis of the medical history and the results of a teleneuropsychological assessment of a 36-year-old Mexican woman with a diagnosis of relapsing--remitting MS (RRMS) was performed. Results: The patient indicates a long history of psychotic, anxious, and depressive features years before the first neurological symptom that led to MS going unnoticed for several years. Language, attentional, perceptual, motor, and learning skills were found to be preserved. Short-term memory and spatial orientation problems were identified, with decreased processing speed and executive dysfunction, including working memory and planning deficits. Conclusions: The patient has a non-typical presentation of neuropsychological alterations with cognitive and behavioral symptoms that resemble dorsolateral frontal lobe syndrome. This case study highlights the importance of considering MS in differential diagnosis of patients with psychiatric symptoms, even in the absence of obvious neurological signs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Reyes-Méndez
- Clinical Neuropsychology Residency Program, Research and Postgraduate Division, Interdisciplinary Investigation Unit in Health and Education Sciences. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Denise Gómez-Bautista
- Clinical Neuropsychology Residency Program, Research and Postgraduate Division, Interdisciplinary Investigation Unit in Health and Education Sciences. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Guillermina Yáñez-Téllez
- Clinical Neuropsychology Residency Program, Research and Postgraduate Division, Interdisciplinary Investigation Unit in Health and Education Sciences. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Emmanuel Rodríguez-Chávez
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Especialidades Dr. Antonio Fraga Mouret, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Julieta Moreno-Villagómez
- Clinical Neuropsychology Residency Program, Research and Postgraduate Division, Interdisciplinary Investigation Unit in Health and Education Sciences. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
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Morrow SA, Kruger P, Langdon D, Alexandri N. What Is the True Impact of Cognitive Impairment for People Living with Multiple Sclerosis? A Commentary of Symposium Discussions at the 2020 European Charcot Foundation. Neurol Ther 2023; 12:1419-1429. [PMID: 37466762 PMCID: PMC10444737 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-023-00519-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, neurodegenerative, inflammatory condition usually associated with physical disability. Clinical care has been skewed toward the physical manifestations of the disease, yet a range of silent symptoms occurs including the cognitive aspects of MS. In a 2018 meeting of MS in the 21st Century (MS21), an international steering committee comprising both specialists and patient experts recognised that the 'invisible symptoms' of MS pose a significant challenge to patient engagement. These findings prompted the European Charcot Foundation (ECF) MS21 symposium (2020), where a panel consisting of two leading MS clinicians and an MS patient expert (who were all members of the MS21 steering group) gathered to discuss the impact of cognitive impairment on the everyday lives of people with MS.The perspectives and experiences of the panellists are summarised in this paper. The key points raised were that (1) the cognitive manifestations of MS are under-recognised and have consequently been undermanaged from a clinical perspective and (2) cognitive impairment due to MS has a significant impact upon daily living and patient quality of life. During discussions about how these challenges can be addressed, the panel advocated for an improvement in education about cognitive symptoms for people living with MS and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to raise awareness about this aspect of MS. Furthermore, the panel emphasised the importance of open and proactive communication between HCPs and their patients with MS about cognitive symptoms to reduce the stigma attached to these symptoms. In the opinion of the panel, future clinical trials which include cognitive outcomes as key endpoints are needed. Reflecting this point, cognitive impairment in MS care also needs to be treated as an important disease symptom, as is done with physical symptoms of the disease. Implementing early and routine cognition screening and promoting measures for protecting cognition to people living with MS, such as cognitive rehabilitation and a 'brain-healthy' lifestyle, are actions which can drive forward the recognition of cognitive impairment as a care priority.If prioritised as highly as physical disability in both the MS care and clinical drug development setting, and proactively discussed in conversations between HCPs and patients with MS, the 'invisibility' of cognitive impairment in MS can be lifted and a better quality of life can be promoted for people living with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Morrow
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital, 339 Windermere Road, London, ON, N6A 5A5, Canada.
| | | | - Dawn Langdon
- Professor of Neuropsychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
| | - Nektaria Alexandri
- Global Medical Affairs, Neurology and Immunology, The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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Ayala OD, Banta D, Hovhannisyan M, Duarte L, Lozano A, García JR, Montañés P, Davis SW, De Brigard F. Episodic Past, Future, and counterfactual thinking in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple sclerosis. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 34:103033. [PMID: 35561552 PMCID: PMC9112031 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Performance in episodic past, future or counterfactual thinking in relapsing-remitting MS and controls was explored. Behavioral and diffusion weighted imaging were used to evaluate associations between white matter integrity and group differences in performance. Relative to controls, MS patients showed reductions in episodic details across all three simulations. Reduced white matter integrity in three association tracts predicted this reduction in episodic details during counterfactual simulations.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease characterized by widespread white matter lesions in the brain and spinal cord. In addition to well-characterized motor deficits, MS results in cognitive impairments in several domains, notably in episodic autobiographical memory. Recent studies have also revealed that patients with MS exhibit deficits in episodic future thinking, i.e., our capacity to imagine possible events that may occur in our personal future. Both episodic memory and episodic future thinking have been shown to share cognitive and neural mechanisms with a related kind of hypothetical simulation known as episodic counterfactual thinking: our capacity to imagine alternative ways in which past personal events could have occurred but did not. However, the extent to which episodic counterfactual thinking is affected in MS is still unknown. The current study sought to explore this issue by comparing performance in mental simulation tasks involving either past, future or counterfactual thoughts in relapsing-remitting MS. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) measures were also extracted to determine whether changes in structural pathways connecting the brain’s default mode network (DMN) would be associated with group differences in task performance. Relative to controls, patients showed marked reductions in the number of internal details across all mental simulations, but no differences in the number of external and semantic-based details. It was also found that, relative to controls, patients with relapsing-remitting MS reported reduced composition ratings for episodic simulations depicting counterfactual events, but not so for actual past or possible future episodes. Additionally, three DWI measures of white matter integrity—fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity and streamline counts—showed reliable differences between patients with relapsing-remitting MS and matched healthy controls. Importantly, DWI measures associated with reduced white matter integrity in three association tracts on the DMN—the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, the left hippocampal portion of the cingulum and the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus—predicted reductions in the number of internal details during episodic counterfactual simulations. Taken together, these results help to illuminate impairments in episodic simulation in relapsing-remitting MS and show, for the first time, a differential association between white matter integrity and deficits in episodic counterfactual thinking in individuals with relapsing-remitting MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Daniel Ayala
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Clínica de Marly, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daisy Banta
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mariam Hovhannisyan
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Patricia Montañés
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Simon W Davis
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Felipe De Brigard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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Mooshekhian A, Sandini T, Wei Z, Van Bruggen R, Li H, Li XM, Zhang Y. Low‑field magnetic stimulation improved cuprizone‑induced depression‑like symptoms and demyelination in female mice. Exp Ther Med 2022; 23:210. [PMID: 35126713 PMCID: PMC8796645 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a common and disabling comorbidity of multiple sclerosis (MS), with currently no clear guidelines for treatment. Low-field magnetic stimulation (LFMS), a novel non-invasive neuromodulation intervention, has been previously demonstrated to rapidly alleviate mood disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of LFMS on depression-like behaviors and demyelination in a well-established mouse model of MS. C57BL/6 female mice were fed a 0.2% cuprizone (CPZ) diet for 3 or 6 weeks to induce acute demyelination. During this time, the mice were treated with either sham or LFMS for 20 min/day, 5 days/week. After 3 or 6 weeks of treatment, behavior was assessed with the open field task, Y-maze and the forced swim test. The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were then collected to perform immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis to verify myelination status. The CPZ diet did not cause significant locomotor deficits; however, working memory, measured using the Y maze, depression-like behavior and adaptive learning, assayed using the forced swim test, were significantly impaired in these animals. LFMS treatment demonstrated a significant antidepressant-like effect and markedly attenuated the CPZ-induced demyelination in the prefrontal cortex after 3- and 6-weeks of treatment, as observed by changes in myelin basic protein immunostaining and western blot analysis. Therefore, the results of the present study indicated that LFMS may be a promising therapy for demyelinating diseases due to the improvement of depressive symptoms via regulation of myelination in cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Mooshekhian
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, USA
| | - Thaisa Sandini
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Zelan Wei
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, USA
| | - Rebekah Van Bruggen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Haibo Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Xin-Min Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Yanbo Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, USA
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Hernández-Ledesma AL, Rodríguez-Méndez AJ, Gallardo-Vidal LS, García-Gasca T, Alatorre-Cruz JM, García-Solís P, López Reyes J, Solís-Saínz JC. Lipid profile: causal relationship on cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis? Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:9667-9676. [PMID: 33259011 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-06011-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Although cognitive impairment (CI) is classically associated with aging, it has been proposed that neurological pathologies may increase the risk to suffer CI. Despite the evidence of an elevated prevalence of CI in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), it is not considered among standard clinical evaluations, due the lack of specialists and time required. The aim of this study was to evaluate if lipid profile is associated with cognitive performance in persons with MS. Twenty patients with MS were evaluated. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was employed to determine cognitive performance. CI was observed in 85% of patients, with memory recall and language as the most affected domains. Despite biomarkers were mostly found within reference values, several correlations were observed. MoCA total score was correlated with cholesterol (r = - 0.468, p = 0.037) and LDL (r = - 0.453, p = 0.045). Visuospatial domain was correlated with LDL (r = - 0.493, p = 0.027). Attention domain correlated with triglycerides (r = - 0.455, p = 0.044) and cholesterol (r = - 0.549, p = 0.012). When the person reaches borderline levels of triglycerides, LDL and cholesterol a decrease in cognitive performance can be observed. The mechanism underlying this association has not been established still, it has been proposed that it could be linked with neuroinflammation, alterations in synapses and in the metabolism of amyloid-β protein. This study settles the potential importance that lipid profile could have on cognitive performance in MS. Further studies are needed to establish optimal levels and implication of lipid profile in the diagnosis and monitoring of cognitive performance in Mexican people with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Laura Hernández-Ledesma
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunoendocrinología, Departamento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Clavel #200. Prados de la Capilla. CP 76170, Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | - Adriana Jheny Rodríguez-Méndez
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunoendocrinología, Departamento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Clavel #200. Prados de la Capilla. CP 76170, Santiago de Querétaro, México.
| | | | - Teresa García-Gasca
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | | | - Pablo García-Solís
- Departamento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | - Julián López Reyes
- Facultad de Medicina, Clínica del Sistema Nervioso, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | - Juan Carlos Solís-Saínz
- Departamento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro, México
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Alarcón AN, Ayala OD, García JR, Montañés P. Validation of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in a Colombian Population. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2020; 42:102072. [PMID: 32330844 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2020.102072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment has been recognized as an important factor in multiple sclerosis (MS) in the past few years. One brief, reliable and valid tool to assess cognition in MS is the BICAMS, which encompasses the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT II), and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R). Continuing with the international initiative to validate the BICAMS in different countries, here we present the results obtained from the efforts in validating such test in the Colombian population. METHOD 100 healthy controls and 50 MS patients participated in the study, group matched for age, education and gender. Subjects completed all three tests of the BICAMS. Instead of the CVLT-II, the Colombian validated form PAMCL (Prueba de Aprendizaje y Memoria con Codificación Libre) was used. Test-retest measures were obtained for 16 patients in order to test for reliability. RESULTS Evidence of criterion validity was obtained, MS group performing significantly worse than HC group in all three tests (SDMT: p= .001, d= 0.59; PAMCL: p= .03, d= 0.38; BVMT-R: p<.001, d= 0.58). Test-retest was also obtained, finding significant correlations for all three tests (SDMT: r=0.932, p<.00; BVMT-R: r=0.863, p<.001; PAMCL: r=0.889, p<.001). Standardization of raw scores to uncontrolled scaled scores was done and these scores were then adjusted for age and years of schooling using a multiple linear regression. CONCLUSIONS The BICAMS proved to be a valid and sensitive tool to screen for cognitive impairment in MS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea N Alarcón
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Oscar D Ayala
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Patricia Montañés
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
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Macías Islas MÁ, Ciampi E. Assessment and Impact of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview. Biomedicines 2019; 7:E22. [PMID: 30893874 PMCID: PMC6466345 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment affects 40⁻60% of patients with multiple sclerosis. It may be present early in the course of the disease and has an impact on a patient's employability, social interactions, and quality of life. In the last three decades, an increasing interest in diagnosis and management of cognitive impairment has arisen. Neuropsychological assessment and neuroimaging studies focusing on cognitive impairment are now being incorporated as primary outcomes in clinical trials. However, there are still key uncertainties concerning the underlying mechanisms of damage, neural basis, sensitivity and validity of neuropsychological tests, and efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The present article aimed to present an overview of the assessment, neural correlates, and impact of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ethel Ciampi
- Neurology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Neurology, Hospital Dr. Sótero del Río, Santiago 8320000, Chile.
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Sousa C, Rigueiro-Neves M, Miranda T, Alegria P, Vale J, Passos AM, Langdon D, Sá MJ. Validation of the brief international cognitive assessment for multiple sclerosis (BICAMS) in the Portuguese population with multiple sclerosis. BMC Neurol 2018; 18:172. [PMID: 30332999 PMCID: PMC6192303 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-018-1175-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The validation of international cognitive batteries in different multiple sclerosis (MS) populations is essential. Our objective was to obtain normative data for the Portuguese population of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) and assess its reliability. Methods The BICAMS was applied to 105 MS patients and 60 age, gender and education matched healthy controls (HC). In order to test its reliability, BICAMS was re-administered in a subset of 25 patients after a 7-month interval. Results Most participants were women, with a mean age of 37, 21 years and a mean of 14,08 years of education. The vast majority of the MS patients (92.4%) had the relapsing remitting type, 58.1% were professionally active, mean disease duration was 6.52 years, median EDSS score was 1.5 (range: 0–6.0) and the median MSSS score was 2.01 (IQR range: 3.83). The MS group presented significantly higher scores of anxiety and depression than HC and 47,4% had fatigue. The MS group performed significantly worse than the control group across the three neuropsychological tests, yielding the following values: SDMT: t(165) = 3.77, p = .000; CVLT-II: t(165) = 2.98, p = .003; and BVMT-R: t(165) = 2.94, p = .004. The mean raw scores for Portuguese normative data were as follows: SDMT: 58.68 ± 10.02; CVLT-II: 60.47 ± 10.12; and BVMT-R: 24.68 ± 5.52. Finally, test–retest reliability coefficients for each test were as follows: SDMT: r = .90; CVLT-II: r = .71; and BVMT-R: r = .84. Conclusions The Portuguese version of BICAMS here in described is a reliable monitoring instrument for identifying MS patients with cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Sousa
- MS Clinic, Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar São João Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200 - 319, Porto, Portugal.
| | | | - Telma Miranda
- MS Clinic, Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar São João Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200 - 319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Alegria
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Loures, Portugal
| | - José Vale
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Loures, Portugal
| | | | - Dawn Langdon
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
| | - Maria José Sá
- MS Clinic, Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar São João Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200 - 319, Porto, Portugal.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal
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