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Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
Autobiographical memory in multiple sclerosis patients: assessment and cognitive facilitation
A Ernst1, F Blanc, V Voltzenlogel
1Imaging and Cognitive Neurosciences Laboratory, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
|September 18, 2012
Summary
Multiple sclerosis patients often experience autobiographical memory (AbM) retrieval deficits. A cognitive facilitation program effectively improved AbM recall by enhancing mental visual imagery in patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by multifocal lesions, potentially impacting autobiographical memory (AbM).
- Despite the significance of AbM in daily life, research on AbM impairment in MS is limited.
- AbM retrieval deficits are hypothesized to be a consequence of MS pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess episodic autobiographical memory (AbM) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to healthy controls.
- To evaluate the efficacy of a novel cognitive facilitation program targeting AbM retrieval deficits in MS patients.
- To investigate the role of mental visual imagery in AbM recall and its potential enhancement through cognitive intervention.
Main Methods:
- An episodic AbM assessment was administered to 25 MS patients and 35 controls.
- Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare AbM performance between groups.
- A cognitive facilitation program focusing on mental visual imagery was implemented with 10 MS patients, followed by pre- and post-intervention assessments.
- Statistical group (ANOVA) and individual (chi-squared test) analyses were conducted to evaluate intervention effects.
Main Results:
- All MS patients exhibited significant AbM retrieval deficits compared to controls.
- The cognitive facilitation program led to significant improvements in AbM test results for all 10 participating patients.
- Patients reported that the positive effects of the intervention transferred to their daily life functioning.
- Improvements were observed in post-facilitation relative to pre-facilitation training scores.
Conclusions:
- A significant AbM retrieval deficit exists in multiple sclerosis patients.
- A cognitive facilitation program effectively enhances AbM retrieval in MS patients.
- Self-centred mental visual imagery appears to be a key mechanism for compensating AbM retrieval deficits in MS, improving access to visual details of personal recollections.
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