scholarly journals Information Processing Speed as a Prognostic Marker of Physical Impairment and Progression in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

2021 ◽  
pp. 103353
Author(s):  
Stefanie Hechenberger ◽  
Birgit Helmlinger ◽  
Stefan Ropele ◽  
Lukas Pirpamer ◽  
Gerhard Bachmaier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Prognostic Marker ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Physical Impairment ◽  
Information Processing Speed

Difficulties in Planning Among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Relative Consequence of Deficits in Information Processing Speed

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 613-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Owens ◽  
Douglas R. Denney ◽  
Sharon G. Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Problem Difficulty ◽  
Sufficient Time ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
Tower Of London ◽  
Planning Ability

AbstractPrevious studies show that MS patients take longer than healthy controls to plan their solutions to Tower of London (TOL) problems but yield conflicting results regarding the quality of their solutions. The present study evaluated performance under untimed or timed conditions to assess the possibility that differences in planning ability only occur when restrictions in solution times are imposed. MS patients (n = 39) and healthy controls (n = 43) completed a computerized version of the TOL under one of two conditions. In the untimed condition, participants were allowed as much time as needed on each problem. In the timed condition, limits were imposed on solution times and time remaining was displayed with each problem. Patients exhibited longer planning times than controls, and the disparity between groups increased with problem difficulty. Planning performance depended upon condition. In the untimed condition, patients and controls performed equally well. When solution times were restricted, however, patients solved fewer problems than controls. MS patients’ planning ability is intact when permitted sufficient time to formulate the required plan. Deficiencies in planning are only evident when time is restricted, and, therefore, are more accurately considered a relative consequence of disease-related problems in information processing speed. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–8)

Effect of dalfampridine on information processing speed impairment in multiple sclerosis

Neurology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (8) ◽  
pp. e733-e746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura De Giglio ◽  
Francesca De Luca ◽  
Flavia Gurreri ◽  
Ilaria Ferrante ◽  
Luca Prosperini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
Effective Treatment Option ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
To Receive

ObjectiveTo test a possible benefit of dalfampridine on information processing speed (IPS), a key function for cognitive impairment (CogIm) in multiple sclerosis (MS).MethodsIn this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we included patients with a score on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) under the 10th percentile of the reference value. Patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive dalfampridine 10 mg or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. They underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at screening (T0), at the end of treatment (T1), and after a 4-week follow-up (T2). The primary endpoint was improvement in SDMT.ResultsOut of 208 patients screened, 120 were randomized to receive either dalfampridine (n = 80) or placebo (n = 40). At T1, the dalfampridine group presented an increase of SDMT scores vs placebo group (mean change 9.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.5–11.4] vs 5.2 [95% CI 2.8–7.6], p = 0.0018; d = 0.60 for raw score; and 0.8 [95% CI 0.6–1] vs 0.3 [95% CI 0.0–0.5], p = 0.0013; d = 0.61 for z scores; by linear mixed model with robust standard error). The improvement was not sustained at T2. A beneficial effect of dalfampridine was observed in the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test and in cognitive fatigue.ConclusionDalfampridine could be considered as an effective treatment option for IPS impairment in MS.Trial registration2013-002558-64 EU Clinical Trials Register.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class I evidence that for patients with MS with low scores on the SDMT, dalfampridine improves IPS.

Altered functional connectivity and performance variability in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 1453-1463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Wojtowicz ◽  
Erin L Mazerolle ◽  
Virender Bhan ◽  
John D Fisk
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
Frontal Pole ◽  
Performance Variability ◽  
Relapsing Remitting

Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrate slower and more variable performance on attention and information processing speed tasks. Greater variability in cognitive task performance has been shown to be an important predictor of neurologic status and provides a unique measure of cognitive performance in MS patients. Objectives: This study investigated alterations in resting-state functional connectivity associated with within-person performance variability in MS patients. Methods: Relapsing–remitting MS patients and matched healthy controls completed structural MRI and resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) scans, as well as tests of information processing speed. Performance variability was calculated from reaction time tests of processing speed. rsfMRI connectivity was investigated within regions associated with the default mode network (DMN). Relations between performance variability and functional connectivity in the DMN within MS patients were evaluated. Results: MS patients demonstrated greater reaction time performance variability compared to healthy controls ( p<0.05). For MS patients, more stable performance on a complex processing speed task was associated with greater resting-state connectivity between the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and the frontal pole. Conclusions: Among MS patients, greater functional connectivity between medial prefrontal and frontal pole regions appears to facilitate performance stability on complex speed-dependent information processing tasks.

scholarly journals T1 Relaxation Times in the Cortex and Thalamus Are Associated With Working Memory and Information Processing Speed in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Thaler ◽  
Isabelle Hartramph ◽  
Jan-Patrick Stellmann ◽  
Christoph Heesen ◽  
Maxim Bester ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
T1 Mapping ◽  
Relaxation Times ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
T1 Relaxation

Background: Cortical and thalamic pathologies have been associated with cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).Objective: We aimed to quantify cortical and thalamic damage in patients with MS using a high-resolution T1 mapping technique and to evaluate the association of these changes with clinical and cognitive impairment.Methods: The study group consisted of 49 patients with mainly relapsing-remitting MS and 17 age-matched healthy controls who received 3T MRIs including a T1 mapping sequence (MP2RAGE). Mean T1 relaxation times (T1-RT) in the cortex and thalami were compared between patients with MS and healthy controls. Additionally, correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between MRI parameters and clinical and cognitive disability.Results: Patients with MS had significantly decreased normalized brain, gray matter, and white matter volumes, as well as increased T1-RT in the normal-appearing white matter, compared to healthy controls (p &lt; 0.001). Partial correlation analysis with age, sex, and disease duration as covariates revealed correlations for T1-RT in the cortex (r = −0.33, p &lt; 0.05), and thalami (right thalamus: r = −0.37, left thalamus: r = −0.50, both p &lt; 0.05) with working memory and information processing speed, as measured by the Symbol-Digit Modalities Test.Conclusion: T1-RT in the cortex and thalamus correlate with information processing speed in patients with MS.

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