More studies of cognitive dysfunction in MS

Prakash RS, Snook EM, Lewis JM, Motl RW, Kramer AF. Cognitive impairments in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 00: 1-12.

Used 57 studies with 3891 participants with 755 "effect sizes"
Cognitive deficits are reported in broad domains of memory, attention, executive function, and verbal fluency. One report suggested by subtype that PPMS had more problem with executive control, whereas RRMS had more significant memory related dysfunction.

"With exception of motor functioning and mood status, most effect sizes were in the moderate range" MS patients had more trouble with nonverbal than verbal intellectual deficits.
Attention-- most abnormal was selective / focused attention with SDMT, TMT, Stroop word and color reading more than measures of working memory and short term storage. Categories also included processing speed (abnormal), sustained attention/vigilance, executive control, short term storage capacity.

Memory and learning-- categories
verbal immediate recall
verbal delayed recall* key item that was abnormal among subcategories
verbal recognition-- not enough data, item eventually dropped.
visual immediate recall
visual delayed recall, visual recognition

All other categories were medium

Verbal function- normal
categories-- verbal fluency were more impaired than comprehension, verbal expression and discourse.
Other factors-- age > 40 was very important, females more than males. Education, disease duration, and EDSS not important EXCEPT for memory and learning

Motor tests
grooved pegboard, finger tapping, nine hole peg test

Paper 2: Chiaravalottti ND, DeLuca J. Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 1139-51. review paper. Emphasizes processing speed, attention, executive function and long term memory. Refers to minimal assessment battery (see Benedict RH, Cookfair D , Gavett, R et al. Validity of the minimal assessment of cognitive function in MS. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2006; 12:549-558. Also refers to re internet based testing, Younes M, Hill J Quinles J, Kilfuss M et al. Internet based cognitive testing in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 1011-19.
Adds assessment of rudimentary oral motor function, since most tests are done orally.See Arnett et al. JINS 2008; 14: 454-462.

Objective, structured, standardised assessment of functional activity, designed by OT, resulted in executive functions performance test (Baum et al., Cognitive performance in senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type: the kitchen task assessment. Am J Occ Ther 1993; 47; 431-436) found correlation to cognition (Kalmar et al. Neuropsychology 2008; 22: 442-449) whereas subjective assessment of cognitive function correlates with emotional distress. Functional deficits are common including housework, driving, cooking, using public transportation.

Beatty et al. found five variables correlate with 49 % of variance in employment status in MS , 3 of which are cognitive (J Neurol Rehab 1995; 9: 167-173). Benedict found poor cognitiion especially on processing efficiency, verbal memory and executive function predicted vocational status (op cit).

Neuropscch screening test key: Benedict RH , Zivadinov R. Reliability and validty of neuropsychological screening and assessment strategies in MS J Neurol 2007; May 254: s 2 1122-1125.
Amato MP et al. The Rao's BRB and Stroop Test ; nornative values with age, education and gender corrections in an Italian population. Mult Scler. Dec 2006 12: 787-793.
Parmenter BA. Screening for cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Mult Scler Jan 2007 13: 52-57.


Components of BRB-- SRT
10/36 spatial recall test
SDMT
PASAT
Word list generation (20 minutes)

MACFIMS-- takes 90 minutes
COWAS
JLO
CVLT 2d edition
Brief visuospatial memory test
SDMT
PASAT
Delis-Kaplan executive function system scoring test