Serum neurofilament light chain level associations with clinical and cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis: A longitudinal retrospective 5-year study

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis Vol. 26; no. 13; p. 1670
• Main Authors: Jakimovski, Dejan, Zivadinov, Robert, Ramanthan, Murali, Hagemeier, Jesper, Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca, Tomic, Davorka, Kropshofer, Harald, Fuchs, Tom A, Barro, Christian, Leppert, David, Yaldizli, Özgür, Kuhle, Jens, Benedict, Ralph Hb
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.11.2020
• Subjects: neurofilament light chain; cognition; longitudinal; Multiple sclerosis (MS); processing speed
• ISSN: 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458519881428

A limited number of studies investigated associations between serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and cognition in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). To assess cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sNfL levels, clinical, and cognitive performance in PwMS and age-matched healthy controls (HCs). One hundred twenty-seven PwMS (85 relapsing-remitting MS/42 progressive MS), 20 clinically isolated syndrome patients, and 52 HCs were followed for 5 years. sNfL levels were measured using the single-molecule array (Simoa) assay and quantified in picograms per milliliter. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), walking, and manual dexterity tests were obtained. At follow-up, Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) was utilized. Cognitively impaired (CI) status was derived using HC-based -scores. Age-, sex-, and education-adjusted analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and regression models were used. Multiple comparison-adjusted values of  < 0.05 were considered significant. In PwMS, sNfL levels were cross-sectionally associated with walking speed (  = 0.235,  = 0.036), manual dexterity (  = 0.337,  = 0.002), and cognitive processing speed (CPS;  =-0.265,  = 0.012). Baseline sNfL levels predicted 5-year EDSS scores (  = 0.25,  = 0.012), dexterity (  = 0.224,  = 0.033), and CPS (  =-0.205,  = 0.049). CI patients had higher sNfL levels (27.2 vs. 20.6,  = 0.016) and greater absolute longitudinal sNfL increase when compared with non-CI patients (4.8 vs. 0.7,  = 0.04). Higher sNfL levels are associated with poorer current and future clinical and cognitive performance.