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Motivation in multiple sclerosis cognitive fatigue: An experimental approach
Gabriel Hoffnung1, Jeffrey G Portnoy1, Caroline Altaras1
1Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University , Bronx , NY , USA.
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
|August 7, 2019
Summary
Reward significantly impacts attention and cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, highlighting the role of motivation in managing MS symptoms. Findings support a novel delayed-reward paradigm for assessing these effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Cognitive fatigue is a prevalent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Dopaminergic pathways in the basal ganglia are implicated in MS-related cognitive fatigue and motivation.
- Previous research on reward's effect on sustained attention has not adequately controlled for reward desensitization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of reward on attention in MS patients.
- To examine how reward influences objective cognitive fatigue in MS.
- To validate a novel delayed-reward paradigm for measuring reward's impact on fatigue.
Main Methods:
- A 3x3 repeated measures design was used.
- Sixty-four (N=64) patients with definite MS participated.
- A novel delayed-reward paradigm was employed to assess cognitive fatigue under varying reward conditions.
Main Results:
- Reward demonstrated a significant main effect on overall performance (F = 3.050, p < .05).
- Reward influenced the fatigue trajectory across intervals (Reward x Interval, F = 2.433, p < .05).
- The observed effects of reward were dependent on the method of administration.
Conclusions:
- Motivation plays a crucial role in cognitive performance and objective cognitive fatigue in MS patients.
- These findings align with current neuropsychological theories on motivation and behavior.
- The delayed-reward paradigm is effective for measuring the impact of reward on sustained attention tasks.
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