Contributions
Abstract: P333
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - MS symptoms
Memory impairment occurs early in the disease course of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), though it is variable and our understanding of its causes is poor. In healthy adults, personality factors are related to memory function and protection from memory decline: high openness and conscientiousness are linked to better memory, and high neuroticism is linked to worse memory. Here, we comprehensively examined personality factors and memory/non-memory function in MS patients.
Methods: 70 MS patients (56 female, age 50.7±9.6 years, education 15.5±2.3 years, disease duration 14.2±7.9 years, phenotype: 54 relapsing-remitting, 11 secondary progressive, 5 primary progressive) completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, a 60-item scale yielding scores for 5 personality factors: openness, neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness. Cognitive measures: Memory composite included verbal and visual memory measures (age-adjusted norm-referenced mean t-score= 45.5±11.9). Non-memory measures: processing speed, working memory/attention, executive functions, language functions, visuospatial functions, and motor. Premorbid intelligence (IQ): Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (mean: 109.5±12.1). Partial correlations were run for 5 factors and cognitive measures, controlling for education and IQ. Linear regression was run to determine the independent contribution of personality to predict cognitive function: education and IQ were entered in block 1, personality factors entered in block 2 (stepwise, entry p=.05, removal =.10).
Results: Memory was the only cognitive function associated with personality. Controlling for education and IQ, high openness and low neuroticism were associated with better memory. Stepwise regression: The full model predicting memory was significant, R2=.397, p< .001. Openness and neuroticism independently contributed to memory function over and above IQ and education (ΔR2=.190; p< .001).
Summary: This is the most comprehensive investigation of the relationship of personality factors to cognitive function in MS to date. Our findings reveal a link between high openness/low neuroticism and better memory function in persons with MS, consistent with findings in healthy adults. This is the first study in any population controlling for education and IQ, thereby isolating the independent contribution of personality to memory for the first time. Consideration of personality factors may help explain/predict differential memory impairment in MS.
Disclosure:
Victoria M. Leavitt: Nothing to disclose.
James F. Sumowski: Nothing to disclose.
Abstract: P333
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - MS symptoms
Memory impairment occurs early in the disease course of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), though it is variable and our understanding of its causes is poor. In healthy adults, personality factors are related to memory function and protection from memory decline: high openness and conscientiousness are linked to better memory, and high neuroticism is linked to worse memory. Here, we comprehensively examined personality factors and memory/non-memory function in MS patients.
Methods: 70 MS patients (56 female, age 50.7±9.6 years, education 15.5±2.3 years, disease duration 14.2±7.9 years, phenotype: 54 relapsing-remitting, 11 secondary progressive, 5 primary progressive) completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, a 60-item scale yielding scores for 5 personality factors: openness, neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness. Cognitive measures: Memory composite included verbal and visual memory measures (age-adjusted norm-referenced mean t-score= 45.5±11.9). Non-memory measures: processing speed, working memory/attention, executive functions, language functions, visuospatial functions, and motor. Premorbid intelligence (IQ): Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (mean: 109.5±12.1). Partial correlations were run for 5 factors and cognitive measures, controlling for education and IQ. Linear regression was run to determine the independent contribution of personality to predict cognitive function: education and IQ were entered in block 1, personality factors entered in block 2 (stepwise, entry p=.05, removal =.10).
Results: Memory was the only cognitive function associated with personality. Controlling for education and IQ, high openness and low neuroticism were associated with better memory. Stepwise regression: The full model predicting memory was significant, R2=.397, p< .001. Openness and neuroticism independently contributed to memory function over and above IQ and education (ΔR2=.190; p< .001).
Summary: This is the most comprehensive investigation of the relationship of personality factors to cognitive function in MS to date. Our findings reveal a link between high openness/low neuroticism and better memory function in persons with MS, consistent with findings in healthy adults. This is the first study in any population controlling for education and IQ, thereby isolating the independent contribution of personality to memory for the first time. Consideration of personality factors may help explain/predict differential memory impairment in MS.
Disclosure:
Victoria M. Leavitt: Nothing to disclose.
James F. Sumowski: Nothing to disclose.