Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a rare autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. According to estimates, 1 to 3 in 100,000 people are affected. They may suffer from visual disturbances, paralysis, incontinence and pain.
But do they also have cognitive impairments? Smaller scientific studies have so far provided contradictory findings. A team of researchers led by the Department of Neurology with Clinical Neurophysiology at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) therefore decided to address the question in a large multicenter study for the first time. The result: Some patients with MOGAD show deficits, particularly in visual information processing speed and word fluency.
The study is published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry . Participants from 14 NEMOS centers "Our goal was to examine the extent and characteristics of possible cognitive deficits over a longer period of time," explains Dr. Martin Hümmert from the Department of Neurology.
Together with his colleagues Professor Dr. Corinna Trebst, Sarah Passoke, Carlotta Stern and the neuropsychologist Professor Dr. Bruno Kopp, he launched the CogniMOG observational study with 122 adult MOGAD patients.
The participants had been recruited from 14 centers of the German Neuromyelitis Optica Study Group (NEMOS) network. These centers specialize in the treatment and research of MOGAD and similar disorders and collect extensive data from those affected in a standar.
