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Cognitive impairment (CIm) is a frequent finding in multiple sclerosis (MS) affecting up to 65 % of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of CIm in a population-based cohort of MS patients identified in the city of Catania from 1995 to 2004. One-hundred and twenty-five patients experiencing the onset of MS during 1995–2004 were enrolled. Cognitive performance was assessed through the Brief Repeatable Battery (BRB) of neuropsychological tests and the Stroop word-color task (ST). CIm was defined as the failure on at least three tests involving at least two different domains. Patients without CIm at baseline were followed up after over 3 years. The most impaired tests were the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (36 %) and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test 3 (35 %). At baseline the prevalence of CIm was 44 % (95 % CI 35.2–53.1). An almost sixfold increased risk of …