The relationship between perceived and objective cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The relationship between perceived cognitive functioning and objective cognitive functioning was studied in 221 patients with multiple sclerosis. Perceptions of global cognitive functioning as well as perceptions of performance on specific cognitive tests were assessed. Patients' perceptions of global cognitive functioning in their daily lives were unrelated to their objective performance on the full cognitive test battery. However, patients' perceptions of their performance on specific tasks correlated with their objective performance on those tasks, even though they underestimated their performance on these tasks. The present study also evaluated predictors of patients' perceived cognitive functioning. Depression, anxiety, fatigue, and level of disability predicted perceptions of global cognitive functioning, whereas objective cognitive performance did not. These results add to our understanding of patients' expressed concerns regarding their cognitive functioning in the wake of multiple sclerosis, suggesting that such concerns should be interpreted with caution by clinicians.

Interventions for cognitive deficits in patients with a brain tumor: an update

“…Another issue that is commonly encountered in many studies of cognitive functioning in chronically ill patients is the discrepancy observed between the subjective (self-report) and objective (neuropsychological testing) measures of cognitive functioning [75][76][77][78][79][80][81]. The results of our trial suggest that this disconnect between subjective experience and test-based indicators of cognitive functioning not only applies in cross-sectional assessments, but also in assessing change in cognitive functioning over time.…”

“…For example, in patients with multiple sclerosis, it was found that patients' performance on a battery of cognitive tests did, in fact, correlate with spouses' and caregivers' perceptions of patients' daily cognitive functioning [83]. In another study in the same population, Middleton suggested that correlations between perceptions of daily cognitive functioning and objective scores are higher for healthy controls than for patients [80]. Thus, the cause of the discrepancy may be found in the perceptions of patients themselves.…”

“…Thus, the cause of the discrepancy may be found in the perceptions of patients themselves. In fact, it has been generally observed that self-reported cognitive functioning tends to correlate more highly with self-reported measures of emotional distress and well-being than with objective neuropsychological test performance [75,76,78,80,81].…”

“…The results of our trial suggest that this disconnect between subjective experience and test-based indicators of cognitive functioning not only applies in cross-sectional assessments, but also in assessing change in cognitive functioning over time. The moderate ecological validity of neuropsychological tests [82] and test situations may not entirely explain this discrepancy (e.g., [80]). For example, in patients with multiple sclerosis, it was found that patients' performance on a battery of cognitive tests did, in fact, correlate with spouses' and caregivers' perceptions of patients' daily cognitive functioning [83].…”

Clinical correlates of memory complaints during AED treatment

“…Previous authors have suggested a relationship between MC and emotional distress in patients with epilepsy (5-16) and similar results have been found in general medical conditions (25)(26)(27)(28). The novelty of this study is the delineation of MC in a large sample of patients with epilepsy using user-friendly standardised clinical instruments which can be adopted in any outpatient clinic in a real life setting.…”