2013 SSIF Conference "Cognitive dysfunction in MS: New insights and clinical management"

Aim of the live educational conference

Cognitive impairment is a debilitating condition that frequently affects patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) even at the very early stages of the disease with a negative influence on quality of life. Since verbal fluency is almost speared, a prompt detection of cognitive dysfunction is challenging thus leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. How to detect and follow up cognitive dysfunction in MS and how to treat cognitive decline are still matter of debate, even though controlled studies indicate immunomodulatory therapies were associated with modest cognitive improvement. The aim of the Serono Symposia International Foundation (SSIF) conference on cognition is to review the state of the art in the field of cognition in MS and to handle issues related to pathophysiology, neuroimaging techniques, diagnosis and treatment in order to provide updated knowledge and recommendations for a good clinical practice.

Learning objectives

By attending this live educational conference, the learners will be able to:

• Review the pathophysiological findings underling cognitive dysfunction in MS
• Diagnose cognitive impairment with the appropriate assessment/tools
• Identify the clinical meaningfulness of cognitive decline, as related to treatment adherence, work capacity, quality of life, and other relevant factors
• Compare the effects of different therapeutic approaches