Citation

Patel VP, Zambrana A, Walker LA, Herrmann N, Feinstein A. Mult. Scler. 2016; 23(1): 106-113.

Affiliation

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada/University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada ant.feinstein@utoronto.ca.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1352458516641208

PMID

27012660

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) causes numerous limitations in activities of daily living.

OBJECTIVES: To develop an improved method of cognitive assessment in people with MS using novel real-world distracters.

METHODS: A sample of 99 people with MS and 55 demographically matched healthy controls underwent testing with the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Functioning in Multiple Sclerosis (MACFIMS) and a modified version of the computerized Symbol Digit Modalities Test (c-SDMT). Half of the subjects completed the c-SDMT with built-in real-world distracters and half without.

RESULTS: The mean time on the c-SDMT was significantly greater in MS subjects than healthy controls for both distracter (p = 0.001) and non-distracter (p < 0.001) versions. Significantly more MS subjects were impaired on the c-SDMT with distracters than the traditional SDMT (47.1% vs 30.3%, p = 0.04). There were no differences in impairment between the c-SDMT with and without distracters (47.1% vs 37.5%, p = 0.34). The distracter version had a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 88% in detecting global cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSIONS: The incorporation of distracters improves the sensitivity of a validated computerized version of the SDMT relative to the non-distracter and traditional versions and offers a quick and easy means of detecting cognitive impairment in people with MS.

© The Author(s), 2016.

Language: en