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Prolonged response times characterize cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Achiron A.,
Doniger G. M.,
Harel Y.,
AppleboimGavish N.,
Lavie M.,
Simon E. S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2007.01909.x
Subject(s) - cognition , neuropsychology , multiple sclerosis , executive functions , medicine , construct validity , audiology , elementary cognitive task , working memory , neuropsychological assessment , battery (electricity) , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychology , clinical psychology , psychometrics , psychiatry , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics
Cognitive impairment is amongst the main symptoms affecting multiple sclerosis (MS) and should be comprehensively and accurately assessed. To study the added value of a computerized neuropsychological battery enabling the measurement of response times in the cognitive domains, 58 randomly selected MS patients and 71 age‐, gender‐ and education‐matched healthy subjects were evaluated. Construct and discriminant validity were assessed for the standard Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Multiple Sclerosis (NSBMS) and the Mindstreams® Computerized Cognitive Battery (MCCB). The MCCB demonstrated good construct validity in comparison with the NSBMS in memory ( P < 0.001), executive function ( P < 0.001), attention ( P < 0.05) and information processing ( P < 0.05) domains. In addition, it showed high discriminant validity most prominently for executive function, attention and motor skills ( P < 0.001). Response times measured by the computerized battery were longer in all cognitive domains and varied with cognitive load, demonstrating that response time deficits in MS are associated with particular task demands. We conclude that in MS prolonged response times on a range of cognitive tasks signify abnormal conduction within demyelinative tracts.