MENTAL DISORDERS AMONG PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS - A MINI REVIEW

Martyna Sternik; Hanna Ćwirko; Adam Skrobarczyk; Sara Ćwirko-Kuśnierz; Urszula Garlak

doi:10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.4906

Authors

Martyna Sternik 4th Military Clinical Hospital with Polyclinic in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2235-7932
Hanna Ćwirko University Clinical Hospital of Jan Mikulicz-Radecki in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4947-5343
Adam Skrobarczyk 4th Military Clinical Hospital with Polyclinic in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6391-2666
Sara Ćwirko-Kuśnierz J. Gromkowski Regional Specialist Hospital in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2365-2874
Urszula Garlak DCOPiH (Lower Silesian Oncology Center in Wroclaw), Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6706-9444

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.4906

Keywords:

Anxiety, Depression, Mental Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease and a commonest cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. It affects up to 2.8 million people globally. In addition to the symptoms directly related to the disease, patients with multiple sclerosis often experience various mental disorders. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the most common mental health conditions associated with multiple sclerosis and to highlight their clinical relevance by analyzing articles found in the Google Scholar database. As the data show, mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders and psychotic disorders affect MS patients more often than the general population and negatively impact their daily life, reducing its quality. The development of these conditions appears to be multifactorial, involving neuroinflammatory and immunological mechanisms, structural brain changes, psychosocial stressors related to chronic illness, and potential adverse effects of disease-modifying therapies. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness of these disorders to diagnose the condition promptly and administer appropriate treatment as quickly as possible.

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