Comorbid diabetes and multiple sclerosis negatively affect cognitive functioning in older adults.

Elizabeth S Gromisch, Frederick W Foley, Roee Holtzer

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Elizabeth S GromischMandell Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital, Trinity Health Of New England, 490 Blue Hills Avenue, Hartford, CT 06112, USA; Department of Rehabilitative Medicine, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, 370 Bassett Road, North Haven, CT 06473, USA; Department of Medical Sciences, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, 370 Bassett Road, North Haven, CT 06473, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Electronic address: elizabeth.gromisch@trinityhealthofne.org.

Frederick W FoleyFerkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Holy Name Medical Center Multiple Sclerosis Center, 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666, USA.

Roee HoltzerFerkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.

Funding

Brain Predictors of Mobility and Falls in Older Adults with Multiple SclerosisR01NS109023 · NINDS · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI HOLTZER, ROEE · 2019 to 2023

$3.4M

NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS109023

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) and diabetes can cause deficits in processing speed, executive functioning, and learning and memory, although there is limited research on their combined impact. This study aimed to evaluate whether having both conditions had a negative effect on cognitive functioning in older adults.

methodsPersons with MS (n = 108) and healthy controls (HC; n = 114) completed letter fluency, semantic fluency, Trail Making Test (TMT), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R). Distribution-based z-scores were calculated for each measure, which were used to compute an overall cognition z-score. Using the composite z-score as the outcome and adjusting for demographics, mood, and vascular-related factors, linear regression models were conducted, first with 1) diabetes and 2) MS as the independent variables, and then with 1) diabetes only, 2) MS only, and 3) both diabetes and MS. The latter approach was used to examine the individual measures.

resultsSixteen persons with MS (14.8 %) and 13 HC (11.4 %) had diabetes. Both diabetes (b = -0.30, p = .022) and MS (b = -0.30, p = .002) were independently associated with overall cognition. Having both conditions had a significant negative effect on overall cognition (b = -0.67, p < .001). The combination of diabetes and MS was associated with reductions in semantic fluency and HVLT-R Total Learning and Delayed Recall.

conclusionsIn older adults, having both diabetes and MS negatively affects cognitive functioning. Clinicians should consider how comorbidities may contribute to greater difficulties in certain cognitive domains in older persons with MS.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionDiabetes MellitusMultiple SclerosisAgedComorbidityFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsCognitive functioningDiabetesMultiple sclerosisOlder adultsVerbal fluencyVerbal memory

Identifiers

PMID40886412

DOI10.1016/j.msard.2025.106707

PMCPMC12419181

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.