Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025
11:35
The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test MSPT: An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool
Published on: June 30, 2014
58.0K
Executive functions in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
M Rosa Elosúa1, Noelia Villadangos1,2
1Departamento de Psicología Básica I, UNED, Madrid, Spain.
Applied Neuropsychology. Adult
|November 6, 2023
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients show impaired working memory, specifically in divided attention and updating functions, impacting daily life. Deficits were not observed in attentional shifting or inhibition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Inconsistent findings exist regarding executive function deficits in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Working memory and executive functions are crucial for daily activities and may be affected by MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate executive functioning, including divided attention, updating, attentional shifting, and inhibition, in individuals with MS.
- To compare cognitive performance between individuals with MS and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Dual-Task Paradigm, N-Back task, Trail Making Test (TMT), and Stroop test to assess specific executive functions.
- Included 24 participants with MS and 24 age- and education-matched healthy controls (aged 18-59).
Main Results:
- Individuals with MS demonstrated significant impairments in divided attention and updating compared to controls.
- Performance variability was noted across the four executive functions in the MS group.
- No significant deficits were found in attentional shifting or inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive demand exacerbates deficits in divided attention and updating in individuals with MS.
- These executive function impairments have notable clinical implications for daily functioning in MS patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Working Memory
179
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
179
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
449
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
449