Screening Instruments for the Early Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Cognitive impairments are common in individuals with MS and adversely affect functioning. Early detection of cognitive impairment, therefore, would enable earlier, and possibly more effective, treatment. We sought to compare self-reports with a short neuropsychological test as possible screening tools for cognitive impairment. Methods: One hundred patients with MS were tested with the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis; z scores were used to derive the Cognitive Index (CI). Receiver operator characteristic curve analyses were performed, with criteria for impairment set at −1.5 and −2.0 SD below the mean. Scores from two self-reports (the Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychological Screening Questionnaire–Patient Version and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Adult Version [BRIEF-A]) and a neuropsychological test (the Symbol Digit Modalities Test [SDMT]) were entered as test variables. Exploratory regression analyses were conducted with 1) CI and self-repo...