Assessment of short term memory, working memory, and executive functions of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sklerosis patients

The purpose of this thesis study was to assess short term memory, working memory and executive functions of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients. The sample consisted of 25 RRMS patients from Ankara Ufuk Univesity Department of Neurology, Turkish MS Association Branch of Ankara and 25 healthy participants. The groups were matched in terms of age, gender, level of education and hand dominance. Information Sheet were used for sociodemographic characteristics, such as health and physiological status, Beck Depression Inventory were used for depression level, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used for anxiety level, Visual Aural Digit Span Test B Form, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Backward Digit Span Task, Stroop Test T-BAG Form, Wechsler Memory Scale: Revised Form Visual Memory Subtest, and Trail Making Test were used for cognitive functions. Results showed that there was no significant difference between RRMS patients and healthy controls in terms of verbal short-term memory capacity, phological loop capacity, perseveration, inhibition and set shifting skills. However, RRMS patients performed significantly worse than healthy controls in visuo-spatial short term memory capacity, visuo-spatial skecth pad capacity and conceptualization skills. In addition, age, mood (depression and anxiety), the duration of disease, the number of relapses, and the duration from the last relapse were found to be negatively correlated with short-term and working memory, executive function performance of RRMS patients. The results of this current study indicated that RRMS patients' short-term and working memory, executive functions were impaired. Also, these cognitive impairments were associated with RRMS patients' age, mood, the duration of disease, the number of relapses, and the duration from the last relapse.