Association Between Multiple Sclerosis and Depression

Abstract

Introduction

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is considered an autoimmune inflammatory disease and it is the most common demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Although its aetiology remains unknown, it has been considered to be multifactorial. MS tends to be more commonly diagnosed in young Caucasian women. It has been described four clinical courses: relapsing-remitting MS, primary progressive MS, secondary progressive MS and progressive remitting MS based on the temporal sequence in which the symptoms arise. Clinic is also very different because it depends on the sites where the lesions occur. The most frequent signs and symptoms are motor and visual deficits, paraesthesia, gait ataxia, diplopia, dizziness and bladder dysfunction. Depressive symptomatology is also among the most common symptoms of MS.

Objectives

Show the importance of depressive symptomatology in patients with MS.

Aims

Evaluation the connection between MS and depression.

Methods

Search for articles concerning MS and depression on Pubmed and Scielo databases from July 2014 through October 2016.

Results

Psychiatric manifestations, and especially depressive symptoms, affect almost 40% of MS patients in remission, and about 90% of those in a flare-up. This may be due to the diagnosis itself, with its large amount of symptoms and its variable progression, but also due to side effects of therapy. It gives a major contribute to suicidality (7.5%) when compared to the general population.

Conclusion

A combined approach and treatment is in order to diminish the incapacity caused by both these illnesses in every single patient.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.