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Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Preliminary Evidence For The Effects Of Aging And Multiple Sclerosis On Cognitive Performance: An Analysis Based On
Rachel E Bollaert1, Julia M Balto1, Brian M Sandroff2
1a Department of Kinesiology & Community Health , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois , USA.
Abstract:
Background/Study Context: Although cognitive impairment is common in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), there are limited data on older adults with MS. The current pilot study involved a preliminary examination of cognitive impairments across a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment in older adults with MS compared with older adults without MS.
Methods:
Twenty older adults with MS and 20 older adults without MS (≥60 years of age) underwent cognitive assessments, including the Trail Making Test (TMT) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). The primary analytical model involved independent-samples t tests on the TMT and RBANS scores. The analysis focused on ½ SD (i.e., Cohen's d of 0.5) for judging the differences as meaningful.
Results:
Overall, the study hypotheses were supported such that older adults with MS demonstrated decreased cognitive performance that exceeded ½ SD compared with the older adults without MS.
Conclusion:
This preliminary study demonstrated moderate and meaningful differences in cognitive performance in older adults with MS compared with older adults without MS. This suggests a clear need for identifying strategies for alleviating cognitive impairment in older adults with MS.
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