BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological testing requires considerable time, expense, and expertise to administer. These factors can limit patient access. Computerized cognitive testing has been proposed as an alternative. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this paper is to validate a brief, simple-to-use computer-generated cognitive assessment screening battery for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients that has minimal motor involvement. METHODS: A sample of 96 MS patients and 98 healthy controls completed a computer-generated battery that included the Stroop, Symbol Digit Modalities Test (C-SDMT), a two- and four-second visual analog of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PVSAT-2, PVSAT-4), and simple and choice reaction time tests. The Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS was used to define cognitive impairment in the MS sample. RESULTS: Each newly developed test successfully distinguished between cognitively impaired patients and healthy controls as well as cognitively intact patients. A combination of three computerized tests (C-SDMT, PVSAT-2, PVSAT-4) with a mean administration time of 10 minutes had a sensitivity of 82.5% and specificity of 87.5% in detecting cognitive impairment. Good test-retest reliability was obtained for each measure. CONCLUSIONS: Good sensitivity and specificity, brevity, ease of administration, and a limited motor component highlight the feasibility of introducing this computer-generated cognitive screening instrument in a busy MS clinic.
BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological testing requires considerable time, expense, and expertise to administer. These factors can limit patient access. Computerized cognitive testing has been proposed as an alternative. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this paper is to validate a brief, simple-to-use computer-generated cognitive assessment screening battery for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients that has minimal motor involvement. METHODS: A sample of 96 MS patients and 98 healthy controls completed a computer-generated battery that included the Stroop, Symbol Digit Modalities Test (C-SDMT), a two- and four-second visual analog of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PVSAT-2, PVSAT-4), and simple and choice reaction time tests. The Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS was used to define cognitive impairment in the MS sample. RESULTS: Each newly developed test successfully distinguished between cognitively impaired patients and healthy controls as well as cognitively intact patients. A combination of three computerized tests (C-SDMT, PVSAT-2, PVSAT-4) with a mean administration time of 10 minutes had a sensitivity of 82.5% and specificity of 87.5% in detecting cognitive impairment. Good test-retest reliability was obtained for each measure. CONCLUSIONS: Good sensitivity and specificity, brevity, ease of administration, and a limited motor component highlight the feasibility of introducing this computer-generated cognitive screening instrument in a busy MS clinic.
Authors: Rosa E Boeschoten; Bernard Mj Uitdehaag; Patricia van Oppen; Vincent de Groot; Emma H Collette; Kim Aa Bakker; Chris H Polman; Joost Dekker Journal: JMIR Res Protoc Date: 2014-06-04
Authors: Curtis M Wojcik; Meghan Beier; Kathleen Costello; John DeLuca; Anthony Feinstein; Yael Goverover; Mark Gudesblatt; Michael Jaworski; Rosalind Kalb; Lori Kostich; Nicholas G LaRocca; Jonathan D Rodgers; Ralph Hb Benedict Journal: Mult Scler Date: 2019-10-22 Impact factor: 6.312