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Recall strategies for the verbal fluency test in patients with multiple sclerosis
J Velázquez-Cardoso1, E Marosi-Holczberger2, Y Rodríguez-Agudelo3
1Departamento de Neuropsicología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México; Departamento de Neurociencias, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Estado de México, México.
Unlabelled:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by inflammation and demyelination. It generates irreversible myelin changes, which in turn give rise to physical and cognitive disorders. The verbal fluency test (VF) has been shown to be a sensitive tool for detecting cognitive impairment in these patients.
Objective:
To compare quantitative and qualitative aspects of performance on semantic and phonological fluency tests between MS patients and healthy controls by analysing total words produced and strategies used (clusters and switching).
Method:
We evaluated 46 patients with MS and 33 healthy controls using the VF test.
Results:
The semantic VF task revealed no significant differences between groups; for the phonological task, patients demonstrated reduced word production (F [77]=2.286 P<.001) and poorer use of grouping strategies, resulting in more frequent switching (F [77]=3.808 P<.005).
Conclusions:
These results support using qualitative analysis for recall strategies, since the technique provides data about which components of the task are affected by brain damage. Clusters depend on the integrity of semantic memory, while switching has to do with developing effective search strategies, cognitive flexibility, and the ability to modify responses. Frontal lobe damage has been reported in MS, and this is consistent with results from the phonological VF test.
Insights
Multiple sclerosis patients show impaired phonological verbal fluency, struggling with word production and switching strategies. Qualitative analysis of verbal fluency tests reveals cognitive deficits linked to brain damage in MS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease causing inflammation and demyelination, leading to physical and cognitive impairments.
- Verbal fluency (VF) tests are sensitive tools for detecting cognitive dysfunction in MS patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare semantic and phonological verbal fluency performance between MS patients and healthy controls.
- To analyze total words produced and strategies used (clusters, switching) in verbal fluency tasks.
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of 46 MS patients and 33 healthy controls using the verbal fluency test.
- Quantitative and qualitative analysis of semantic and phonological fluency tasks.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in the semantic VF task between groups.
- MS patients exhibited reduced word production and impaired grouping strategies in the phonological VF task, leading to more frequent switching.
Conclusions:
- Qualitative analysis of verbal fluency recall strategies is valuable for identifying cognitive deficits in MS.
- Impaired switching in phonological tasks suggests frontal lobe damage and difficulties with search strategies and cognitive flexibility in MS patients.
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