Intellectual impairment in multiple sclerosis and its relation to functional abilities.

Sixty-four patients with advanced multiple sclerosis were assessed on intellectual and memory tests. They were rated by occupational therapists on an Activities of Daily Living scale according to their abilities, and by relatives on the same scale, according to what they actually did. Results indicated that the multiple sclerosis patients had intellectual and memory deficits. A few discrepancies occurred between patients' abilities as rated by an occupational therapist and what they actually did as rated by a relative. These discrepancies were not significantly related to memory impairment.