Memory and Visual Attention Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and demyelinating disease  of Central Nervous System (CNS), changes the transmission of nerve impulses. It is common for people with MS develop cognitive impairment in the first 3 years after diagnosis, impacting social skills in activities of daily living and neuropsychological performance. Cognitive dysfunction in MS is characterized by deficits: memory, attention, information processing speed and executive functions. 

Objectives: To relate demographic data with the characteristics of the type of visual memory and visual attention in people with MS. 

Methods: Neuropsychological testing application like Visual Selective Attention Scale (EAVS) and Faces of Visual Memory (MVR). Sample of 22 women and 9 men, mean age 46.3 years, with a minimum of 26 and maximum of 75, the standard deviation is 12.8, in a Social Organization in São Paulo, composed of 61.3% people with higher education (complete and incomplete), with time of diagnosis over five years are 80.6% of the sample, with the prevalence of type relapsing-remitting (RR) in 74.2% of cases and EDSS of 2.5 to 45.2 %. 

Results: In EAVS, 83.9% had rates among lower middle and lower; the MVR, 83.9% displayed an average, subdivided into upper middle (MS) 32.3%, medium (ME) 25.8% and lower (LL) 32.3%. There are statistically significant correlations between the variables marital status x MVR (p = 0.025), being unmarried (38.7%) and married (51.6%). Married people are more numerous in MS and ME, while singles are divided between MS and MI. They are also statistically significant correlations grouped age and gender (p = 0.005), in which there is a predominance of women over 51 years; EDSS and grouped age (p = 0.015), in which up to 2.5 EDSS is prevalent in the age group 25-40 years; EDSS and type of MS (p = 0.016) in the prevalence of up to 2.5 EDSS is at the RR group. 

Conclusions: Patients with MS have married a better index in its information storage capabilities relating to people, they are more attentive to details and the evocation of these. Although its ability to select stimuli is relatively low. As for the EDSS the prevalence rates up to 2.5 is in the group of people 40 years and RR type, and the men are predominantly in the age group 40 years and RR type of MS.