Differences on neuropsychological measures can serve to distinguish amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) from multiple sclerosis (MS)-related cognitive impairment in older patients, but it is essential that these measures control for the processing speed deficit that is such a primary feature of MS. This according to a recent study that aimed to identify differences in the cognitive performance between elderly individuals with MS and those with aMCI. 3 groups, ranging in age from 60-80 years, were compared: patients with MS (n=64), patients with aMCI (n=58), and healthy adults (n=70). Participants completed a standard neuropsychological test battery that evaluated domains of attention, processing speed, executive function, memory, language, and visual spatial function. Researchers found:

• Compared to age- and gender-matched healthy controls, elderly MS patients exhibited a pattern of cognitive impairment centering on information processing speed and memory that was consistent with the deficits observed in other studies of MS patients regardless of age.
• Compared to aMCI patients, MS patients exhibited worse performance on measures of processing speed, but better performance on a measure of memory under cued conditions, a non-speeded measure of language, and measures of executive function with processing speed statistically controlled.