Abstract

Approximately 40% of all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit some form of cognitive impairment. Identifying impairment in these patients would be beneficial to the patients and to society. However, it is too costly to refer every MS patient for full neuropsychological testing. Consequently, many attempts have been made to develop screening batteries for use by neurologists. Unfortunately, these batteries are rarely used clinically as all require approximately 20-40 minutes to administer and most require special equipment. Given the time constraints of an office visit it is unrealistic to expect neurologists to administer such tests. The present pilot study is an attempt to assess whether a brief screening instrument, the bedside examination of cognition in MS (BECIMS), which requires less than 10 minutes to administer, would exhibit adequate sensitivity and specificity in identifying MS patients with cognitive impairment. Nine MS subjects and eight normal controls were tested. The BECIMS correctly predicted the cognitive status of 13 of the 17 subjects. Specific suggestions are made for the further development of the BECIMS, which will likely result in a test with clinical significance.

LLU Discipline

Experimental Psychology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Paul Haerich

Second Advisor

Louis E. Jenkins

Third Advisor

Craig A. Muir

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Level

M.A.

Year Degree Awarded

2000

Date (Title Page)

6-2000

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Multiple Sclerosis -- diagnosis; Cognitive Symptoms; Cognition.

Type

Thesis

Page Count

v; 32

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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