Subjective versus objective performance in people with multiple sclerosis using the MSReactor computerised cognitive tests

Daniel Merlo; Tomas Kalincik; Chao Zhu; Melissa Gresle; Jeannette Lechner-Scott; Trevor Kilpatrick; Michael Barnett; Bruce Taylor; Katherine Buzzard; David Darby; Helmut Butzkueven; Anneke van der Walt

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2021.103393

Subjective versus objective performance in people with multiple sclerosis using the MSReactor computerised cognitive tests

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Feb:58:103393. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103393. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: daniel.merlo@monash.edu.
² CORe, Department of Medicine at RMH, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
³ Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁴ Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia.
⁵ Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
⁶ Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁷ Department of Neurology, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
⁸ Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
⁹ Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
¹⁰ Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, MSNI Service, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.

PMID: 35216774
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103393

Abstract

Background: Perceived cognitive impairment in MS is associated with adverse changes in employment capacity, sexual function, and aspects of daily living. Studies have shown relationships between perceived cognitive impairment and objective neuropsychological functioning and mood. Subjective cognitive performance in people with MS has not previously been compared to their objective performance on a computerised cognitive battery.

Methods: All participants completed at least 6-monthly serial testing on the MSReactor computerised cognitive testing platform consisting of 3 reaction time tasks. These measure psychomotor processing speed (simple reaction time), attention (choice reaction time) and working memory (One back task). In addition, we collected subjective cognitive performance and patient reported outcomes of depression, anxiety and quality of life. The strength and direction of the relationships between subjective and objective performance on the cognitive tasks were examined using Kendalls rank coefficient at year 1 and year 2. We calculated partial correlation estimates where subjective performance was also associated with patient reported outcomes.

Results: Subjective overall performance correlated weakly with the working memory task (Tau -0.10; (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.19, -0.01). Subjective performance also correlated weakly with depression but not anxiety or quality of life. Subjective reaction speed correlated weakly with psychomotor processing speed (Tau -0.10; CI -0.19, -0.01); and subjective accuracy correlated weakly with the attention (Tau 0.12; CI 0.03, 0.21) and working memory (Tau 0.15; CI 0.05, 0.24) tasks, respectively.

Conclusion: Participants' perceived performance on the MSReactor tests correlated only weakly with objective changes. Depression was associated with subjective cognitive performance reports. These results suggest that a person with MS' perception of their cognitive performance is only weakly associated with cognitive changes detected using MSReactor.

Keywords: Attention; Cognitive dysfunction; Information processing; Multiple sclerosis; Subjective health; Working memory.

MeSH terms

Cognition
Cognitive Dysfunction* / complications
Cognitive Dysfunction* / etiology
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis* / complications
Multiple Sclerosis* / diagnosis
Neuropsychological Tests
Quality of Life