Beyond Perceived Stress: Hair Cortisol Is Linked With Cognition And Fatigue In Black And White Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

This study involving 81 MS patients and 41 controls found that biological and social stress indicators, such as cumulative cortisol levels, MS diagnosis, and race, are linked to cognitive performance, while psychological stress indicators, like perceived stress and depression, are associated with fatigue. Specifically, higher hair cortisol levels, MS, and being Black were associated with lower cognitive scores on the Symbol Digit Modality Test. Additionally, higher reported stress and depression were linked to increased total and cognitive fatigue. These findings suggest distinct roles for objective and subjective stress measures in MS-related cognitive and fatigue outcomes.