Cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

One of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis is a cognitive impairment, which becomes severe in the late stage of disease. It is difficult to evaluate the probability of cognitive deficit development and the rate of its progression. Evaluation of neurological status and neuroimaging data in neurodegenerative diseases patients show an inconsistency in the severity of cognitive symptoms. This served as the basis for creating the concept of cognitive reserve, which reflects the brain’s ability to compensate cognitive impairment resulting from damage to brain structures. the term «cognitive reserve» has acquired several «concepts». Despite these concepts are used only for scientific researches, it has a good potential for implementation in clinical practice. This review contains information about the supposed physiological mechanisms of the cognitive reserve, role for preventing of the development of cognitive and motor deficit, methods of cognitive reserve quantitative assessment by clinical and neuroimaging methods, and possible ways of increase.