Neuropsychiatric manifestations of multiple sclerosis

The range of neuropsychiatric symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) has not b een prospectively assessed. The authors, working at a tertiary medical cent er in Mexico City, used the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) to evaluate ne uropsychiatric symptoms prospectively in 44 MS patients who were stable bet ween relapses and 25 control subjects of similar age, education, and cognit ive function. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were present in 95% of patients and 16% of control subjects. Changes present were depressive symptoms (79%), a gitation (40%), anxiety (37%), irritability (35%), apathy (20%), euphoria ( 13%), disinhibition (13%), hallucinations (20%), aberrant motor behavior (9 %), and delusions (7%). The only relationships with MRI were between euphor ia and hallucinations and moderately severe MRI abnormalities. The authors conclude that diverse types of nezlropsychiatuic symptoms are common in MS; symptoms are present between exacerbations; and there ave variable correla tions with MRI abnormalities.