Factors Affecting Performance on a Screening Tool in Persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) frequently co-occurs with cognitive impairments and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
• Early identification of cognitive changes is crucial for managing ALS progression and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between ALS-Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS) performance and demographic factors in individuals with ALS.
• To determine if sex, education, time since diagnosis, or symptom severity influence cognitive screening results.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of data from 69 participants with ALS at the Mayo Clinic.
• Correlational analyses and t-tests were used to assess relationships between ALS-CBS scores and demographic/clinical variables.
• The ALS-Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS) was utilized for cognitive assessment.

Main Results:

• Most participants (43/69) showed suspected cognitive impairment, with 8 suspected FTD.
• No significant correlations were found between ALS-CBS scores and sex, education, or time post-diagnosis.
• A significant inverse relationship was observed between age and the attention subsection of the ALS-CBS.

Conclusions:

• Demographic factors, except for age's effect on attention, do not significantly alter ALS-Cognitive Behavioral Screen performance in individuals with ALS.
• The high prevalence of cognitive impairment underscores the need for routine cognitive screening in all persons with ALS.
• Implementing cognitive screenings can aid clinicians in developing tailored assessment and treatment strategies for PALS.