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Association Between Cognitive Complaints and Vulnerability to Environmental Distraction in Multiple Sclerosis
John J Randolph1, Jennifer S Randolph2, Heather A Wishart2
1Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA john.randolph@randolphnp.com.
Summary
Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing cognitive difficulties are more susceptible to auditory distractions during testing. This vulnerability impacts processing speed, highlighting the need for ecologically valid assessments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but neuropsychological test results may not align with patient-reported symptoms.
- Controlled testing environments may not accurately reflect real-world cognitive challenges faced by individuals with MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if individuals with MS reporting cognitive dysfunction are more affected by auditory distractions during cognitive testing.
- To explore the impact of environmental manipulation on neuropsychological evaluation in MS.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-four individuals with MS or clinically isolated syndrome underwent cognitive testing under quiet and distracting (office background noise) conditions.
- Participants were categorized into high and low cognitive complaint groups based on the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Individuals with higher cognitive complaints showed decreased performance on the oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test in the distraction condition.
- Those with fewer complaints maintained stable performance regardless of auditory conditions, even after controlling for confounding factors.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive complaints in MS correlate with vulnerability to environmental distractions, particularly affecting processing speed.
- Integrating distraction elements into neuropsychological testing could improve the ecological validity of assessments for individuals with MS.
