Improvement of medical judgments by numerical training in patients with multiple sclerosis

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have to face important decisions with regard to their medical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a targeted cognitive training reduces framing effects and thus improves medical judgments.

This was a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study enrolling patients with relapsing-remitting MS and healthy controls (HCs). Participants were randomly assigned to training order A (first week, numerical training; second week, control training) or B (reverse order). The primary endpoint was changed in a framing task score (framing effect). In the framing task, participants evaluated the success of fictive medications on a 7-point scale. Medications were described in either positive or negative terms.

A total of 37 patients and 73 HCs performed either training order A (n = 56) or B (n = 54). The framing effect decreased after the numerical training regardless of training order. No such decrease was found after the control training. Mean change in framing effect was -0.3 ± 0.8 after the numerical training and 0.03 ± 0.6 after the control training. This specific effect of training type was comparable between groups.

Judgments of medical information improve in both patients with relapsing-remitting MS and HCs after a targeted numerical training. Thus, a specific cognitive intervention may help patients making informed decisions.