[Multiple sclerosis and verbal episodic memory: Critical review of cognitive processes and their assessment]. / Atteinte de la mémoire épisodique verbale dans la sclérose en plaques: revue critique des processus cognitifs concernés et de leur exploration.

Memory impairment, especially verbal episodic memory (VEM), represents a common ground for cognitive complaint in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Beyond the difficulty caused in daily life, these deficits may impact on occupational activities. Neuropsychological assessment of these patients has to include VEM tests, to describe the level of dysfunction of the different processes contributing to VEM and, if required, to guide adapted cognitive rehabilitation. The objective of the present paper is to propose a critique review of the literature on VEM abilities in MS. This review will present the conceptual references and the psychometric characteristics of the main VEM tests applied in MS (isolated tests or included within more general batteries developed specifically for MS). In a second phase, we propose an inventory of work on MS presented as a function of the cognitive processes involved. This approach provides an approach to the limitations of each conception and possible terminological ambiguities. Contributions to knowledge of MS memory impairments will be clarified, as well as the impact of the disease characteristics (MS forms, disease duration, EDSS).

Semantic dementia: aspects of the early diagnosis.

Semantic dementia is a lobar atrophy syndrome, related to a degeneration of anterior temporal regions, and characterized by a very predominant impairment of semantic memory. Whereas the diagnosis is relatively easy to establish in the typical form and if the patient is seen early, the emergence of possible additional cognitive or psycho-behavioural disorders can lead to a misdiagnosis in favour of a frontotemporal dementia syndrome or even probable Alzheimer's disease.