Whilst there was only a limited pool of relatively small trials and a number of different compounds , we found that collectively , both AChEIs ( donepezil and rivastigmine ) and stimulants ( methylpheni date , modafinil , l‐amphetamine sulfate and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate ) offered no significant benefits over placebo on measures of processing speed , working memory , verbal fluency , verbal memory , visuospatial memory or executive functioning
HighlightsCognitive deficits are present in up to 70 % of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).There are no approved treatments for these difficulties .
We examined whether adjunctive pharmacotherapies can improve cognition in MS.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors offered no significant benefits over placebo .
Stimulant‐based medications offered no significant benefits over placebo .
& NA ; We sought to examine the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors ( AChEIs ) and stimulant‐based medications for improving cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) .
Effects of single dose mixed amphetamine salts - extended release on processing speed in multiple sclerosis: a double blind placebo controlled study
Rationale Multiple sclerosis ( MS ) commonly affects cognitive function , most frequently presenting as impaired processing speed ( PS ) . There are currently no approved treatments for PS in this population , but previous studies suggest amphetamines may be beneficial . Objective The objective of this study is to determine if mixed amphetamine salts , extended release ( MAS-XR ) has the potential to improve impaired PS in MS patients in a r and omized controlled pre- and post-dose testing study . Methods Fifty-two MS patients demonstrating PS impairment on either the  Symbol Digit Modalities Test ( SDMT ) or  Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test ( PASAT ) were r and omized to a single dose of 5 mg MAS-XR ( n = 18 ) , 10 mg MAS-XR ( n = 20 ) , or placebo ( n = 14 ) . Subjects were evaluated a second time , after taking the blinded medication . ANOVA was used to compare the change on the SDMT and PASAT in each of the treatment groups compared to the placebo . Cohen ’s d was used to calculate effect size . Results At baseline , the mean SDMT score was 43.3 ± 7.2 and the mean PASAT was 34.8 ± 13.4 , with 47 ( 90.4 % ) and 25 ( 48.1 % ) categorized as impaired on the SDMT and PASAT , respectively . The change in SDMT scores from baseline to post-treatment demonstrated significant improvement for the MAS-XR 10-mg dose compared to placebo , increasing by 5.2 ± 4.5 vs. 0.6 ± 4.4 points ( p = 0.043 ) , with a medium effect size of 0.47 . Change on the PASAT was not significantly different in either treatment group . Conclusions This study supports MAS-XR 10 mg as a potential treatment for MS patients with demonstrated PS impairment , warranting a larger longitudinal study
Whilst there was only a limited pool of relatively small trials and a number of different compounds , we found that collectively , both AChEIs ( donepezil and rivastigmine ) and stimulants ( methylpheni date , modafinil , l‐amphetamine sulfate and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate ) offered no significant benefits over placebo on measures of processing speed , working memory , verbal fluency , verbal memory , visuospatial memory or executive functioning
HighlightsCognitive deficits are present in up to 70 % of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).There are no approved treatments for these difficulties .
We examined whether adjunctive pharmacotherapies can improve cognition in MS.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors offered no significant benefits over placebo .
Stimulant‐based medications offered no significant benefits over placebo .
& NA ; We sought to examine the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors ( AChEIs ) and stimulant‐based medications for improving cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) .