The Reliability of the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised in Brazilian multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract

Cognitive Impairment (CI) is a common and distressing problem in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Its identification is complicated and sometimes omitted in the routine evaluation by neurologists. The BICAMS (Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis) is a promising tool to overcome this difficulty. However, there is some concern regarding the subjectivity in scoring of the BVMT-R (Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised), one of its components.Objective:To evaluate the reliability of the BVMT-R in a sample of Brazilian MS patients, with the measure being administered and scored by neurologists.Methods:BICAMS was applied to seventy subjects comprising forty patients diagnosed with MS and thirty healthy controls. In the MS patients group, the coefficients of agreement between three different raters, using the same protocols, and the internal consistency of the BVMT-R were assessed. Also, the coefficients of correlation of the BVMT-R with the other tests of the BICAMS, CVLT II (California Verbal Learning Test II) and SDMT (Symbol Digit Modalities Test), and their respective effect sizes were calculated.Results:the BVMT-R presented a moderate inter-rater coefficient of agreement (k=0.62), an excellent Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC=0.85), and high internal consistency (α=0.92). The correlation between the BVMT-R and CVLT II was moderate (ρ=0.36; p<0.025), but strong with the SDMT (ρ=0.60; p<0.01), with a large effect size.Conclusion:The BVMT-R is a reliable instrument for assessing CI in patients with MS, having a significant association with information processing speed, an aspect which should be considered when evaluating its score.

Cognitive Contributors of Backward Walking in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis

“…While BVMT examines visuospatial episodic memory, the encoding and immediate recall of episodic information is partially dependent on working memory [66]. In part due to this overlap in cognitive processes [67], the source of performance deficits on the CVLT immediate recall is suggested to be similar to that on the BVMT [51,68,69]. Coinciding evidence of similar activation patterns in brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, when engaged in visuospatial and immediate recall tasks [70] further suggests some lack of specificity in the assessments.…”

Association of cognitive impairment and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study

“…32 Meanwhile, our results revealed a significant correlation between BMVT and MSQOL-PH. BMVT is proven to be a reliable instrument to evaluate visuospatial learning in patients with MS. 42 Deficits of visuospatial learning and memory are common in patients with MS and correlate to atrophy in the hippocampus region. 43 We found that there was a statistically significant association between specific aspects of cognitive decline and QOL from the perspective of both mental and physical health.…”

“… 32 Meanwhile, our results revealed a significant correlation between BMVT and MSQOL-PH. BMVT is proven to be a reliable instrument to evaluate visuospatial learning in patients with MS. 42 Deficits of visuospatial learning and memory are common in patients with MS and correlate to atrophy in the hippocampus region. 43 …”

Cognitive assessment of Brazilian patients with multiple sclerosis: weighing the impact of disability and depressive symptoms

“…There is an emerging interest on the study of cognitive dysfunction in Brazilian patients with MS [17][18][19][20] 21 . Conversely, Damasceno et al showed that patients with relapsing-remitting MS evolved with cognitive decline even if they had minimal or no evidence of disease activity 22,23 .…”