Attention Network Test reveals alerting network dysfunction in multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 93 - 99
• Main Authors: Urbanek, Carsten, Weinges-Evers, Nicholetta, Bellmann-Strobl, Judith, Bock, Markus, Dörr, Jan, Hahn, Eric, Neuhaus, Andres H, Opgen-Rhein, Carolin, Thi Minh Tam Ta, Herges, Katja, Pfueller, Caspar F, Radbruch, Helena, Wernecke, Klaus D, Ohlraun, Stephanie, Zipp, Frauke, Dettling, Michael, Paul, Friedemann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2010; Sage Publications; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Attention - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Conflict (Psychology); Cross-Sectional Studies; Cues; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Depression - psychology; Disability Evaluation; Disease Progression; Fatigue - psychology; Female; Fixation, Ocular; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Multiple Sclerosis - complications; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; Multiple Sclerosis - psychology; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Nerve Net - physiopathology; Neurology; Photic Stimulation; Reaction Time - physiology; multiple sclerosis; cognitive impairment; outcome measurement; Nervous system diseases; Multiple sclerosis; Prognosis; Cognitive disorder; Dysfunction; Central nervous system disease; Attention; Degenerative disease; Inflammatory disease
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458509350308

Attention is one of the cognitive domains typically affected in multiple sclerosis. The Attention Network Test was developed to measure the function of the three distinct attentional networks, alerting, orienting, and executive control. The Attention Network Test has been performed in various neuropsychiatric conditions, but not in multiple sclerosis. Our objective was to investigate functions of attentional networks in multiple sclerosis by means of the Attention Network Test. Patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (n = 57) and healthy controls (n = 57) matched for age, sex, and education performed the Attention Network Test. Significant differences between patients and controls were detected in the alerting network (p = 0.003), in contrast to the orienting (p = 0.696) and the conflict (p = 0.114) network of visual attention. Mean reaction time in the Attention Network Test was significantly longer in multiple sclerosis patients than in controls (p = 0.032), Multiple sclerosis patients benefited less from alerting cues for conflict resolution compared with healthy controls. The Attention Network Test revealed specific alterations of the attention network in multiple sclerosis patients which were not explained by an overall cognitive slowing.