Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40903471›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Large-scale online assessment uncovers a distinct Multiple Sclerosis subtype with selective cognitive impairment.

Annalaura Lerede, Alexandra Moura, Valentina Giunchiglia, Elisa Carta, William Trender, Katherine Tuite-Dalton, James Witts, Elaine Craig, Sarah Knowles, Jeff Rodgers and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Annalaura LeredeCentre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. annalaura.lerede@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0903-8606
Alexandra MouraDepartment of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Valentina GiunchigliaCentre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Elisa CartaMultiple Sclerosis Centre, ASL Cagliari, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
William TrenderDepartment of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3947-5532
Katherine Tuite-DaltonPopulation Data Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.
James WittsPopulation Data Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-3386-2965
Elaine CraigPopulation Data Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.
Sarah KnowlesPopulation Data Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2370-736X
Jeff RodgersPopulation Data Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.
Eleonora CoccoMultiple Sclerosis Centre, ASL Cagliari, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3878-8820
Peter J HellyerCentre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Rod MiddletonPopulation Data Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2130-4420
Richard Nicholas *Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK. r.nicholas@imperial.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0414-1225
Adam Hampshire *Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Funding

King's College London | Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London) Funded postdoctoral position
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cognitive impairments in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are prevalent and disabling yet often unaddressed. Here, we optimised automated online assessment technology for people with MS and used it to characterise their cognitive deficits in greater detail and at a larger population scale than previously possible. The study involved 4526 UK MS Register members over three stages. Stage 1 evaluated 22 online cognitive tasks and established their feasibility. Based on MS discriminability a 12-task battery was selected. Stage 2 validated the resulting battery at scale, while Stage 3 compared it to a standard neuropsychological assessment. Clustering analysis identified a prevalent MS subtype exhibiting significant cognitive deficits with minimal motor impairment. Disability in this group is currently unrecognised and untreated. These findings underscore the importance of cognitive assessment in MS, the feasibility of integrating online tools into patient registries, and the potential of such large-scale data to derive insights into symptom heterogeneity.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionMultiple SclerosisAdultAgedCluster AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsRegistriesUnited Kingdom

Identifiers

PMID40903471
PMCPMC12408825

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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 OpenQuestion graph.