Episodic memory deficits are associated with social cognitive impairments in multiple sclerosis

Brochet B(1), Moreau T(2), Saubusse A(3), Charré-Morin J(3), Lamargue D(4), Deloire M(5), Ruet A(4)(3).

Author information:
(1)Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1215, Neurocentre Magendie, 146, Rue Léo
Saignat, 33077, Bordeaux, France. .
(2)Service de Neurologie, CHU de Dijon, 21000, Dijon, France.
(3)Service de Neurologie, CHU de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
(4)Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1215, Neurocentre Magendie, 146, Rue Léo
Saignat, 33077, Bordeaux, France.
(5)DRCI, CHU de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with cognitive
impairments affecting attention, processing speed, executive functions, and
episodic memory. Social cognition (SC), encompassing emotional processing and
theory of mind (ToM), is also impaired in MS. However, its relationship with
common cognitive functioning is not well defined. The objective of this study
was to investigate the relationships between social and non-social cognitive
impairments, focusing on episodic memory, executive functions, and information
processing speed in people with MS.
METHODS: We assessed 58 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 30 healthy controls
using neuropsychological and SC tests to explore these associations.
RESULTS: MS patients showed significant deficits in emotional recognition and
ToM, which correlated strongly with episodic memory performance but showed weak
correlations with executive functions and not with processing speed.
Multivariate analyses indicated that episodic memory accounted for a significant
portion of the variance in emotional processing and ToM abilities.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that episodic memory deficits represent an
important cognitive correlate of SC in MS, underscoring the need to consider
memory function in understanding and addressing SC difficulties in this
population.
CLINICAL TRIALS: Clinical Trails gov ID NCT02708927) This study received
approval from the ethics committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes [CPP]
Sud-Ouest et Outre-Mer III) (ID-RCB: 2015-A01282-47).

© 2026. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

DOI: 10.1007/s00415-026-14067-7
PMID: 42622682 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: Declarations. Conflicts of interest: BB has
received consultancy fees and speaker fees from Merck and Sanofi, unrelated to
this work.TM reports fees as scientific adviser from Biogen, Medday, Novartis,
Genzyme, Sanofi, all of the above unrelated to this work. AS, JCM, DL and MD
declare no conflicts of interest. AR reports consultancy fees, speaker fees,
research grants (non-personal), and/or honoraria approved by the institutions
from BMS, Novartis, Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Roche, and Merck, all of the above
unrelated to this work. The study was supported by a grant from the ARSEP
foundation in the name of Fondation de France Foundation. Authors declare that
they do not have a financial relationship with the organization that sponsored
the research. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the
collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the
manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results”. Informed consent: All
subjects provided written informed consent prior to inclusion in the study.
Institutional Review Board Statement: The sponsor (CHU de Bordeaux) and the
investigators ensured that the study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT02708927) was
conducted in accordance with Act No. 2004–806 of 9 August 2004, Good Clinical
Practice (I.C.H. version 4, of 1 May 1996, and decision of 24 November 2006),
and the Declaration of Helsinki. This study received approval from the ethics
committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes [CPP] Sud-Ouest et Outre-Mer III)
(ID-RCB: 2015-A01282-47) and authorization from the French Health Products
Safety Agency (Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des produits de
santé, ANSM). AI Usage: Grammar and spelling corrections have been made using
Wordvice AI®

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus