Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Verbal fluency deficits in multiple sclerosis.

Julie D Henry1, William W Beatty

  • 1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. julie.henry@unsw.edu.au

Neuropsychologia
|November 19, 2005
PubMed
Summary

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) show significant impairments in phonemic and semantic fluency. These verbal fluency deficits are sensitive indicators of cognitive changes in MS.

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

Dismantling the mechanism of VR self-compassion training: A two-session controlled trial with active controls.

Behaviour research and therapy·2026
Same author

The Use of Silver Fluoride for Oral Health and Well-Being in Aged Care Residents: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

JMIR research protocols·2026
Same author

Autistic Traits and Camouflaging: A Meta-Analysis.

Autism : the international journal of research and practice·2026
Same author

The role of self-directed ageism in prospective memory function.

Psychology and aging·2026
Same author

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2025
Same author

Psychology and Aging at 40: Continuity and growth.

Psychology and aging·2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease affecting cognitive functions.
  • Neuropsychological testing is crucial for assessing cognitive deficits in MS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively review studies comparing phonemic and semantic fluency deficits in MS patients versus healthy controls.
  • To compare the magnitude of these deficits with other cognitive measures.

Main Methods:

  • A quantitative review of 35 studies involving 3673 participants.
  • Analysis of deficits in phonemic and semantic fluency tests.
  • Comparison with other cognitive tests like verbal intelligence, naming, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).

Main Results:

  • Participants with MS exhibited substantial and similar impairments in both phonemic and semantic fluency.
  • These fluency deficits were more pronounced than those in verbal intelligence, naming, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.
  • Deficits were comparable or smaller than those observed on the oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).
  • Increased neurological disability and a chronic progressive disease course correlated with larger fluency deficits.

Conclusions:

  • Phonemic and semantic fluency tests, along with the SDMT, are sensitive measures for detecting cognitive impairment in MS.
  • While disease course and disability correlate with fluency deficits, this is partly explained by confounding factors like age and duration of illness.

Related Experiment Videos