ECTRIMS 2021 | Cortical lesions at diagnosis predict cognitive impairment in MS: a 20-year follow-up study

Stefano Ziccardi, PhD, University of Verona, Verona, Italy discusses a 20-year follow-up study looking at the role of early cortical lesion detection to predict future cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Cortical lesions are a hallmark of MS pathology – they reflect brain damage and are associated with progression. The study of 170 patients with MS has demonstrated that the number of cortical lesions present at diagnosis can indicate the level of cognitive impairment the patient will experience after a 20 year course of the disease. Therefore, the presence of cortical lesions at diagnosis should be considered predictive of long-term cognitive impairment. Dr Ziccardi discusses the implications of these findings and the next steps in his research. This interview took place at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress 2021.