Contributions
Abstract: P316
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 3 Paediatric MS
Background: Cognitive impairment occurs in approximately 30% of individuals with paediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS). Executive functions (EF) seem particularly vulnerable to MS pathology, but given the importance of efficient information processing for coordination of EFs, it is unclear whether such deficits represent impairment distinct from slowed processing speed. We investigated performance on tasks of attention, inhibition, mental flexibility/abstraction, and working memory in young adults with paediatric-onset MS, controlling for task-specific response time.
Method: 43 patients (mean age = 19.60 ± 3.81; 31 female; mean disease duration = 6.16 ± 3.72) and
30 healthy controls (mean age = 17.70 ± 5.15; 21 female) were recruited from eight children's hospitals across Canada and from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Participants completed the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery, proctored by trained psychometrists. Accuracy scores on the Continuous Performance Test, Conditional Exclusion Test, Go-No-Go task and Letter N-Back task were compared across patients and controls, with age and task-specific response time included as covariates.
Results: After controlling for response time, MS patients demonstrated poorer accuracy than healthy controls on tasks of attention (p = 0.001), inhibition (p = 0.003), and working memory (p = 0.018). Accuracy on a measure of mental flexibility/abstraction (Conditional Exclusion Test) did not differ between groups (p = 0.075), however, post-hoc analyses revealed slower response times on this task in MS patients, which were retained when controlling for motor speed (p = 0.021). There were no significant group differences in response time for the attention, inhibition, and working memory subtests (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Several domains of executive dysfunction, specifically attention, inhibition, and working memory, are apparent in young adults with paediatric-onset MS, and are distinct from processing speed deficits. Difficulties with abstraction and mental flexibility are less apparent and are more likely attributable to slowed processing speed.
Disclosure:
E Barlow-Krelina: Nothing to disclose
E De Somma: Nothing to disclose
EA Yeh was on a scientific advisory panel for Juno Therapeutics. She has also received a speaker´s honorarium from Novartis in the past. She performs relapse adjudication for ACI.
J O´Mahony: Nothing to disclose
RE Gur: Nothing to disclose
RC Gur: Nothing to disclose
K Ruparel: Nothing to disclose
B Banwell serves as a consultant for Novartis.
C Till: Nothing to disclose
Abstract: P316
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 3 Paediatric MS
Background: Cognitive impairment occurs in approximately 30% of individuals with paediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS). Executive functions (EF) seem particularly vulnerable to MS pathology, but given the importance of efficient information processing for coordination of EFs, it is unclear whether such deficits represent impairment distinct from slowed processing speed. We investigated performance on tasks of attention, inhibition, mental flexibility/abstraction, and working memory in young adults with paediatric-onset MS, controlling for task-specific response time.
Method: 43 patients (mean age = 19.60 ± 3.81; 31 female; mean disease duration = 6.16 ± 3.72) and
30 healthy controls (mean age = 17.70 ± 5.15; 21 female) were recruited from eight children's hospitals across Canada and from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Participants completed the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery, proctored by trained psychometrists. Accuracy scores on the Continuous Performance Test, Conditional Exclusion Test, Go-No-Go task and Letter N-Back task were compared across patients and controls, with age and task-specific response time included as covariates.
Results: After controlling for response time, MS patients demonstrated poorer accuracy than healthy controls on tasks of attention (p = 0.001), inhibition (p = 0.003), and working memory (p = 0.018). Accuracy on a measure of mental flexibility/abstraction (Conditional Exclusion Test) did not differ between groups (p = 0.075), however, post-hoc analyses revealed slower response times on this task in MS patients, which were retained when controlling for motor speed (p = 0.021). There were no significant group differences in response time for the attention, inhibition, and working memory subtests (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Several domains of executive dysfunction, specifically attention, inhibition, and working memory, are apparent in young adults with paediatric-onset MS, and are distinct from processing speed deficits. Difficulties with abstraction and mental flexibility are less apparent and are more likely attributable to slowed processing speed.
Disclosure:
E Barlow-Krelina: Nothing to disclose
E De Somma: Nothing to disclose
EA Yeh was on a scientific advisory panel for Juno Therapeutics. She has also received a speaker´s honorarium from Novartis in the past. She performs relapse adjudication for ACI.
J O´Mahony: Nothing to disclose
RE Gur: Nothing to disclose
RC Gur: Nothing to disclose
K Ruparel: Nothing to disclose
B Banwell serves as a consultant for Novartis.
C Till: Nothing to disclose