Paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT): a very difficult test even for individuals with high intellectual capability

Abstract

Objective: To assess the difficulty of paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) in a population of high intellectual level, under ideal cognitive testing circumstances. Method: One hundred medical students underwent PASAT testing. They had slept well the night before, they had eaten before the assessment, they were not using any drugs that could affect the central nervous system and they did not have depression, anxiety or any chronic disease. Results: The average result from the three-second version of PASAT was 57.5% and, from the two-second version, it was 44.3%. Conclusion: Even under ideal circumstances, PASAT is a very difficult test for the general population. It may not be ideal for neurologists to screen, assess and follow up patients with cognitive function in multiple sclerosis. Key words: multiple sclerosis, PASAT, cognition, test.Teste auditivo compassado de adição seriada (PASAT): um teste muito difícil mesmo para indivíduos com alta capacidade intelectual RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a dificuldade do teste auditivo compassado de audição seriada (PASAT) em uma população de alto nível intelectual, sob condições ideais para testes cognitivos. Método: Cem estudantes de medicina se submeteram ao PASAT. Eles haviam dormido bem na noite anterior, tinham comido antes da avaliação, não estavam em uso de qualquer droga que pudesse afetar o sistema nervoso central e não apresentavam depressão, ansiedade ou qualquer doença crônica. Resultados: A média de acertos na versão de três segundos do PASAT foi 57,5% e, para a versão de dois segundos, a média foi 44,3%. Conclusão: Mesmo sob condições ideais, PASAT é um teste muito difícil para a população geral. Talvez ele não seja ideal para que os neurologistas triem, avaliem e façam seguimento da função cognitiva na esclerose múltipla. Palavras-chave: esclerose múltipla, PASAT, cognição, teste. Correspondence Yára Dadalti Fragoso

A one-year follow-up study of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: an appraisal of comparative longitudinal sensitivity

“…In the control group, 3 subjects (5.3%) decided not to complete PASAT3 even though they completed SDMT. These data support previous findings in a general population regarding difficulties in answering items in PASAT, even in ideal conditions [ 14 ].…”

“…PASAT is part of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), developed to measure impairment and disability in MS [ 13 ], and it is widely used in clinical research. Despite its extensive use, Brooks et al showed that results are inadequate even in young and intellectually active subjects [ 14 ].…”

Abnormalities of Motor Imagery and Relationship With Depressive Symptoms in Mildly Disabling Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

“…27 Our results showed similar performances of participants with MS and the comparison group on PASAT. 46 It must be taken into account that in the present study, depression was assumed to be a confounding factor and the participants with MS had mild disability (EDSS < 3.5) and some were in the early stages of disease. 27,45 These discrepancies in the literature may be related to the effect of confounding factors, stages of disease, intelligence, and mathematical ability.…”

Detecting cognitive dysfunction in a busy multiple sclerosis clinical setting: a computer generated approach

“…No test probes working memory apart from the PVSAT and here the 2 s version lacked sensitivity in discriminating between disease types. This failure probably reflects the difficulty of the task, which has also proved challenging to healthy control subjects . It is important to note that whilst the computerized battery is able to distinguish between the four disease types studied here, it not does capture the full range of cognitive sequelae associated with MS and therefore should be viewed as a screening measure only.…”