Further evidence statins could help control multiple sclerosis

A dose of the drug simvastatin results in cognitive improvement in people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to research published in the Lancet Neurology . Researchers, led by Dr Jeremy Chataway (UCL Institute of Neurology), previously reported the effect of a high dosage of simvastatin, a type of statin widely used to reduce cholesterol and already known to be safe, on brain atrophy (shrinkage) in SPMS in 2014. Now after studying the same cohort of patients from that trial, the team have confirmed a positive effect of simvastatin on frontal lobe function and physical quality of life. This study used simvastatin at 80mg versus a placebo in 140 people with secondary progressive MS (SPMS). A range of cognitive assessments were carried out in this substudy, including the National Adult Reading Test, the Visual Object and Space Perception battery (cube analysis) and the Frontal Assessment Battery. The Frontal Assessment Battery is a bedside assessment often used to assess some forms of frontal dementia. It encompasses features such as concepts and mental flexibility which reflect the way we interact with the world and modulate our decision-making.