The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests: normative values allow application in multiple sclerosis clinical practice

The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRB-N) is a sensitive measure of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. It consists of the Selective Reminding Test, the 10/36 Spatial Recall Test, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test and the Word List Generation Test. We administered one of two parallel versions of the test battery to 140 healthy subjects to produce normative values for both versions. As expected, test scores were influenced by certain variables like age, gender and education. Although constructed as two equivalent versions, for some tests the two versions showed significant differences in test scores, which could not be explained by differences in these variables.

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Normative values of the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests in a Brazilian population sample: discrete and regression–based norms

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20180006 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 76 (3) ◽

pp. 163-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Alfredo Damasceno ◽

Juliana Machado Santiago dos Santos Amaral ◽

Amilton Antunes Barreira ◽

Jefferson Becker ◽

Dagoberto Callegaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Educational Level ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Normative Data ◽

Population Sample ◽

Brazilian Population ◽

Normative Values ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Repeatable Battery ◽

Healthy Participants

ABSTRACT Objective Cognitive dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis. The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRB–N) was developed to assess cognitive functions most–frequently impaired in multiple sclerosis. However, normative values are lacking in Brazil. Therefore, we aimed to provide continuous and discrete normative values for the BRB–N in a Brazilian population sample. Methods We recruited 285 healthy individuals from the community at 10 Brazilian sites and applied the BRB–N version A in 237 participants and version B in 48 participants. Continuous norms were calculated with multiple–regression analysis. Results Mean raw scores and the 5th percentile for each neuropsychological measure are provided, stratified by age and educational level. Healthy participants' raw scores were converted to scaled scores, which were regressed on age, sex and education, yielding equations that can be used to calculate predicted scores. Conclusion Our normative data allow a more widespread use of the BRB–N in clinical practice and research.

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Evaluation of the effects of group psychotherapy on cognitive function in patients with multiple sclerosis with cognitive dysfunction and depression

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20140144 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 73 (2) ◽

pp. 90-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Emine Bilgi ◽

Hasan Hüseyin Özdemir ◽

Ayhan Bingol ◽

Serpil Bulut

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Group Psychotherapy ◽

Cognitive Dysfunction ◽

Beck Depression Inventory ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Depression Severity ◽

Group Members ◽

Repeatable Battery

Objective This study will evaluate how decreasing depression severity via group psychotherapy affects the cognitive function of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are also diagnosed with depression and cognitive dysfunction. Method MS patients completed the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The group members diagnosed with depression and cognitive dysfunction underwent group psychotherapy for 3 months. Upon completion of psychotherapy, both tests were readministered. Results Depression and cognitive dysfunction were comorbid in 15 (13.9%) of patients. Although improvement was detected at the end of the 3-month group psychotherapy intervention, it was limited to the BDI and the Paced Auditory Test. Conclusion Group psychotherapy might decrease cognitive impairment in MS patients.

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KOGNITYVINIO FUNKCIONAVIMO IR DEPRESIŠKUMO RYŠYS SERGANT IŠSĖTINE SKLEROZE: TRUMPO DAUGIAKARČIO NEUROPSICHOLOGINIŲ TESTŲ RINKINIO TAIKYMAS LIETUVOJE

Psichologija ◽

10.15388/psichol.2005..4326 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 74-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ramunė Grambaitė ◽

Rūta Sargautytė

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Information Processing ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Depression Severity ◽

Information Processing Speed ◽

Repeatable Battery ◽

The Relationship

Nors susirgus išsėtine skleroze (IS) 40–70% žmonių sutrinka kognityvinis funkcionavimas, o depresija taip pat dažnai lydi IS (nustatoma 27–54% sergančiųjų), duomenys apie jų sąryšį gana prieštaringi. Straipsnyje analizuojamas kognityvinio funkcionavimo ir depresiškumo ryšys sergant išsėtine skleroze ir Trumpo daugiakarčio neuropsichologinių testų rinkinio (BRBNT) taikymo galimybės. Tyrime dalyvavo 41 žmogus, sergantis IS, ir 52 sveiki asmenys. Kognityvinėms funkcijoms vertinti buvo išversta ir naudojama BRBNT B versija (Rao and Peyser, 1986). Depresiškumui vertinti buvo taikomas Becko depresijos inventarijus (BDI-II). Gauti rezultatai rodo, jog sergančiųjų IS verbalinis išmokimas yra neigiamai susijęs su depresiškumu: depresiškumas statistiškai reikšmingai koreliuoja su pastovaus ilgalaikio atgaminimo rodikliais ir su ilgalaikiu atgaminimu po tam tikro uždelsimo laikotarpio, tačiau hipotezė, jog egzistuoja ryšys tarp informacijos apdorojimo greičio ir depresiškumo, nepasitvirtino. Klasifikuojant tiriamuosius į sveikus ir sergančius IS, gautas 100% BRBNT jautrumas, taip pat 100% specifiškumas.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: išsėtinė sklerozė, kognityvinis funkcionavimas, depresiškumas. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND DEPRESSION SEVERITY IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS: APPLICATION OF THE BRIEF REPEATABLE BATTERY OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS (BRBNT) IN LITHUANIARamunė Grambaitė, Rūta Sargautytė SummaryMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorder that affects primarily the cerebral white matter, thereby causing both physical and psychological disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between cognitive function and depression severity in MS patients, as well as sensitivity and specificity characteristics of the BRBNT (The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests). We investigated 41 MS patients and 52 healthy people.Forty-one controls were selected from fifty-two healthy subjects and were individually matched with MS subjects for age, gender and education. BRBNT (Rao and Peyser, 1986) was designed for measuring verbal learning, visuospatial learning, sustained attention and concentration, information processing speed and verbal fluency cognitive functions. The B version of the BRBNT was translated and used in our study. Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) (Beck, 1996) was used for the evaluation of depression severity.Results of our study confirmed that depression severity was associated with verbal learning: Consistent Long Term Retrieval and the Delayed Recall significantly negatively related to depression severity. The relationship between information processing speed and depression severity was also negative, but not statistically significant. The five individual BRBNT tests separately did not significantly discriminate healthy controls from MS patients; however, when all the five BRBNT tests put together we found 100% sensitivity of and 100% specificity.Our findings lead to the conclusion that neuropsychological testing is important in organizing help strategies for MS patients. BRBNT is a sensitive measure of cognitive function in MS, and may assist with differential diagnosis. Similarly, BRBNT could well be applied to other groups of patients, whose illness results in physical and/or cognitive functional limitations.Keywords: multiple sclerosis, cognitive function, depression severity.

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Correlation of self-assessed fatigue and alertness in multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458510374202 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. 1134-1140 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

Nicholetta Weinges-Evers ◽

Alexander U Brandt ◽

Markus Bock ◽

Caspar F Pfueller ◽

Jan Dörr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Fatigue Severity Scale ◽

Expanded Disability Status Scale ◽

Severity Scale ◽

Disability Status ◽

Attentional Performance ◽

Fatigue Severity ◽

Repeatable Battery ◽

Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Background: Fatigue is the most common symptom in multiple sclerosis patients, but is difficult to measure; quantification thus relies on self-assessed questionnaires. Objective: To evaluate a battery of neuropsychological tests regarding their capacity to objectify self-reported fatigue. Methods: We assessed the correlation between age, gender, education, Kurtzke’s Expanded Disability Status Scale, depression, fatigue and neuropsychological testing using a cross-sectional approach in 110 multiple sclerosis patients. Fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Severity Scale. Cognition was measured using a series of neuropsychological tests including three subtests of the Test of Attentional Performance, the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests and the Faces Symbol Test. Results: According to the Fatigue Severity Scale 51.4% of the cohort were fatigued (scores ≥4). Age, education and depression showed a significant correlation with the Fatigue Severity Scale. Only 5.5% of the cohort exhibited cognitive impairment in the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests scores. After correction for age, education, Expanded Disability Status Scale and depression, Fatigue Severity Scale scores were an independent predictor of performance in the alertness subtest of the Test of Attentional Performance (standardized coefficient beta = 0.298, p = 0.014). Conclusion: The alertness subtest of the Test of Attentional Performance may offer an objective method of evaluating self-reported fatigue, and may therefore — in addition to the Fatigue Severity Scale — be a suitable tool for the assessment of multiple sclerosis patients complaining of fatigue.

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Assessment of cognition using the Rao's Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests on a group of Brazilian patients with multiple sclerosis

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/s0004-282x2011000700007 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 69 (6) ◽

pp. 887-891 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Joseph Bruno Bidin Brooks ◽

Mariana Cossi Monseff Borela ◽

Yara Dadalti Fragoso

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Word List ◽

Cognitive Domain ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Factor Solution ◽

Simple Method ◽

Control Subjects ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

Repeatable Battery

To assess the cognition of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using the Rao's Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRB-N). METHOD: BRB-N was translated and adapted for control subjects. Subsequently, it was applied to a group of patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) MS. RESULTS: The assessment on the healthy controls (n=47) showed that the correlation between tests on the same cognitive domain was high and that there was a five-factor solution that explained 90% of the total variance. Except for the Word List Generation subset of tests, the performance of patients with RRMS (n=39) was worse than that of the healthy controls. CONCLUSION: BRB-N is a relatively simple method to assess cognition of patients with MS in the daily clinic. It does not take long to apply and does not require special skills or equipment.

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Assessment of cognitive functions in patients with multiple sclerosis applying the normative values of the Rao’s brief repeatable battery in the Portuguese population

BMC Neurology ◽

10.1186/s12883-021-02193-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Sousa ◽

◽

Mariana Rigueiro-Neves ◽

Ana Margarida Passos ◽

Aristides Ferreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Neuropsychological Assessment ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Geographic Location ◽

Clinical Population ◽

Normative Values ◽

Portuguese Population ◽

Good Ability ◽

Repeatable Battery

Abstract Background The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRBN-T) is one of the most sensitive and used measures for detecting cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Objective The aim of this study was to adapt and validate this battery to the Portuguese population of MS patients. Methods The Portuguese version of the BRBN-T was applied to a stratified control national sample of 326 individuals considering sex, age, educational level and geographic location and also a clinical sample of 115 MS patients from several national hospitals. Through the exploration of its psychometrics properties, the Portuguese BRBN-T norms were produced. Results The normative data is presented as a regression-based formula to adjust test scores for gender, education and age, and the results reveal the BRBN-T has the ability to differentiate between MS patients and healthy participant’s cognitive performance. Conclusion This study demonstrated in our clinical population a good ability to detect cognitive impairment. Its clearly contributed to reinforcing the neuropsychological assessment in Portugal in patients with MS, by providing a new set of instruments, which can be used in the clinical practice, and in future studies. Moreover, it will allow a rigorous and precise support in relation to neuropsychological assessment for future longitudinal studies and clinical trials.

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