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Updated: Mar 11, 2026
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Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
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Differential effects of aging on motor and cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis
Shumita Roy1, Seth Frndak1, Allison S Drake1
1Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo-The State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, NY, USA.
Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|November 26, 2016
Summary
Aging amplifies motor decline in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but cognitive impairment does not worsen with age. Cognitive issues in older MS patients may indicate other age-related conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gerontology
- Neuroimmunology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts motor and cognitive functions.
- The effect of aging on MS-related deficits is not fully understood.
- Previous studies suggest cognitive processing speed differences are age-independent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if aging exacerbates cognitive and motor dysfunction in MS patients.
- To compare age-related changes in cognitive and motor performance between MS patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- 698 MS patients and 226 healthy controls (HCs) aged 18-72 years participated.
- Neuroperformance tests assessed ambulation, upper extremity function, processing speed, and memory.
- Linear regression models analyzed the impact of diagnosis, age, and education.
Main Results:
- MS diagnosis, age, and education significantly affected all cognitive and motor measures.
- An interaction between age and diagnosis was observed for motor function, but not cognitive function.
- Motor decline progression is accelerated by aging in MS patients.
Conclusions:
- Motor dysfunction in MS is significantly worsened by aging.
- Cognitive impairment in MS does not appear to be amplified by aging.
- Accelerated cognitive decline in older MS patients may suggest co-occurring age-related pathologies.
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