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Abstract:
To determine processing speed and accuracy of cognitive
processing in multiple sclerosis (MS), eight MS patients and 12
healthy control subjects completed a perceptual motor matching task
("B + 0 = B") and an Alphabet-Arithmetic (AA) task which requires
cognitive processing ("B + 2 = D"). Response times (RTs) and number
correct were recorded as subjects judged whether the equations were
true or false. Each subject performed both tasks in two consecutive
testing sessions to examine changes in cognitive speed over time.
To derive single measures of cognitive speed and accuracy, RTs and
correct number of matching equations were subtracted from RTs and
correct number of AA equations. MS patients and controls had
similar RTs during the first testing session, but MS patients were
significantly less accurate. During the second testing session
there was significant RT slowing in the MS patients, while accuracy
was comparable to controls. These results suggest that MS patients
compensate for their decreased accuracy by increasing their
processing time.
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