California Verbal Learning Test performance is associated with fibre impairment in multiple sclerosis: evidence from DTI

Background: Verbal memory deficits are reported frequently in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) is recognized as a standard clinical tool for assessing episodic memory difficulties in MS, but its neural correlates are yet to be examined in detail in this patient population. Methods: We combined neuropsychological testing, with the CVLT to examine the various stages of the memory process, and DTI analysis, to assess 53 MS-patients with a relapsing-remitting disease course. The frequency of impairment on various CVLT-scores was determined by comparison with 23 age-,…