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Updated: May 21, 2025
11:35
The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test MSPT: An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool
Published on: June 30, 2014
57.7K
Communication deficits in multiple sclerosis: Interactions with cognitive dysfunction and their impact on employment
Christos Bakirtzis1, Nefeli Dimitriou2, Theodoros Moysiadis3
1Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|March 20, 2025
Summary
Communication difficulties in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are linked to cognitive issues, fatigue, and dysarthria. These challenges significantly impact employment, underscoring the need for targeted support.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) often face communication challenges impacting their careers.
- Understanding these communication barriers is crucial for improving vocational outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify clinical and cognitive factors contributing to communication restrictions in PwMS.
- To assess the impact of these factors on vocational status.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 502 PwMS.
- Clinical, cognitive, fatigue, and mood assessments were conducted.
- The Communication and Language Assessment Questionnaire for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (CLAMS) was utilized.
Main Results:
- Information processing speed, dysarthria, and fatigue independently predicted communication difficulties (p < 0.001).
- Increased communication difficulties correlated with higher unemployment and allowance rates (AUCs 0.649 and 0.749, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Cognitive deficits, fatigue, and dysarthria are key independent predictors of communication issues in PwMS.
- These communication barriers are associated with adverse vocational outcomes.
- Interventions targeting communication are essential for enhancing employment prospects in PwMS.
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