Effects of Acthar on Recovery From Cognitive Relapses in MS

This is a prospective, open-label study of Acthar administered as treatment for an acute cognitive relapse. Primary and secondary endpoints will be collected prior to Acthar administration and at 3-month follow-up. Comparison will be made to a stable MS control group. The objectives of the study are: 1. To replicate prior findings with steroid therapy for MS patients for cognitive relapses, using instead Acthar Gel as the treating agent. The investigators will determine if the decrease on cognitive endpoints at the time of relapse exceeds that of stable MS controls. 2. To compare the effects above to a previously acquired dataset of relapsing patients treated with steroids. This is a quasi-experimental design in so far as the steroid treated group data were previously acquired in a separate study. The primary hypothesis of the study is that, due to the enhanced melanocortin response in Acthar the recovery from cognitive changes occurring during cognitively focused relapse will be significant compared to stable MS patients matched on age, time since testing, and cognitive performance on the SDMT. Target enrollment for the Acthar treatment group will be 30 MS patients under care at the Jacobs Neurological Institute with existing neuropsychological baseline in the past four years in whom a cognitive relapse or new supratentorial GAD enhancing lesion(s) on MRI have been identified. Cognitive relapse will be identified based on clinical presentation of acute worsening of cognitive symptoms in the domains of processing speed, concentration, episodic memory, working memory, and/or fatigue. Patients whose clinical MRI indicate new active GAD enhancing lesions will be screened for the presence of self-perceived cognitive decline, without new physical symptoms. Thirty (30) clinically stable MS patients matched on age, time since testing, and cognitive performance on the SDMT will be recruited from the pool of patients with existing cognitive baselines.