Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Is speed of processing or working memory the primary information processing deficit in multiple sclerosis?

John DeLuca¹, Gordon J Chelune, David S Tulsky

¹Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA. jdeluca@kmrrec.org

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology

|October 30, 2004

Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Overview of the limb injury measurement battery for quality of life (LIMB-QOL).

Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2026

Same author

A methodological overview of new measure development for the Limb Injury Measurement Battery for Quality of Life (LIMB-QOL).

Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2026

Same author

Cognitive rehabilitation in contemporary neuropsychological practice: an exploratory survey of service delivery, reimbursement, and perceived barriers.

Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists·2026

Same author

Profiles of Quality of Life Outcomes Observed in Rehabilitation Patients Using Latent Profile Analysis.

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation·2026

Same author

Evidence-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation for Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: An Updated Systematic Review 2016 to 2024.

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation·2026

Same author

Increased functional network connectivity following cognitive rehabilitation in progressive multiple sclerosis with moderate to severe disabilty: findings from the CogEx study.

Journal of neurology·2026

Processing speed, not working memory, is the main cognitive issue for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). This processing speed deficit is more prevalent in secondary progressive MS (SPMS) than relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Clinical Neurology

Background:

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease.
Cognitive impairments are common in MS, affecting daily functioning.
Distinguishing primary deficits between processing speed and working memory is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine whether processing speed or working memory represents the primary information processing deficit in individuals with MS.
To compare the prevalence and severity of these deficits across different MS subtypes.

Main Methods:

A case-control study was conducted with 215 adults diagnosed with definite MS.
Participants were recruited from a hospital-based specialty clinic.
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-WMS III) was used to assess processing speed and working memory, analyzing T-scores and impairment rates.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

Deficits in processing speed were significantly more common than working memory deficits across all comparisons.
This pattern was consistent in both relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patient groups.
The processing speed deficit was more pronounced in individuals with SPMS compared to RRMS.

Conclusions:

The findings strongly indicate that impaired processing speed is the primary information processing deficit in individuals with MS.
Interventions targeting processing speed may be more beneficial for cognitive rehabilitation in MS patients.
Understanding these specific deficits can inform clinical practice and patient management strategies.