Specyfika procesów uwagi i hamowania poznawczego u osób ze stwardnieniem rozsianym o przebiegu rzutowo-remisyjnym z uwzględnieniem poziomu nastroju

Objectives:
The results of contemporary neuropsychological analyses lay foundation for a broad discussion of the nature and causes of cognitive deficits in MS patients. The aim of this study was to determine the level of alternating attention and dominant reaction inhibition in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients, with consideration of their mood level, age and disease duration.

Methods:
Experimental group consisted of 43 adults (30 women and 13 men) diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, with Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) results ranging between 2.5-6.5. Control group comprised 38 healthy adults (26 women and 12 men) selected according to sex, age and education. The following tasks were used in the study: the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT), Stroop Colour-Word Test (SCWT), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Results:
Experimental group was characterised by significantly worse performance in TMT (p<0.001) and SCWT (p<0.001) than the control group. No differences were observed in performance of TMT (p>0.05) and SCWT (p>0.05) in the experimental group between subjects with depressed and neutral mood. Disease duration proved significantly related to the level of dominant reaction inhibition (p<0.001).

Conclusions:
Cognitive impairments within areas of concentration, attention shifting and dominant reaction inhibition were all revealed in the experimental group.