Patients (36) with definite diagnoses of multiple sclerosis [ms] received an extensive battery of neuropsychological tests. The MS patients were grouped in triads and the members of each triad were matched on the basis of their sex, age at time of experiencing their 1st MS-related symptom education. One member of each triad was assigned to each of 3 experimental groups based on the number of years they had complained of MS-related symptoms (i.e., 1-5, 6-10 or greater than 10 yr). Data analyses yielded a limited number of significant findings. Differences on measures of verbal intelligence and reading skills were suggested as more probably reflecting a tendency for the older MS patients to have had more formal education, than being a true consequence of the disease process. Only a measure of simple tactile perception skills significantly delineated the experimental groups in a manner consistent with clinical observation of MS deterioration.