Abstract
Up to 70% of all persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) experience visual complaints at some point during the course of their disease (REFS??) and these complaints may affect the quality of life greatly. The visual complaints of pwMS can have different etiologies, which may also include visual perceptual dysfunctions. This can be expected as pwMS also suffer from cognitive decline. However, the literature on visual perception of pwMS is sparse. This exploratory study therefore aims to examine nature of visual perceptual disorders in pwMS.
Materials
The DiaNAH test battery (De Vries et al, 2017) was used to assess visual perception and consisted of: Bells Test, Cake Thief, Trail Making Test (TMT), L-POST Figure-Ground segmentation, L-POST Motion Detection, L-POST Shape Ratio Discrimination, Corsi Block Tapping Task, Taylor Complex Figure, Visual Object Space Perception (VOSP) Dot Counting, VOSP Silhouettes and Crowing. The tests were completed in Metrisquare© on a 24” tablet.
Method
The DiaNAH test battery was completed by 28 pwMS who were referred to a rehabilitation centre for patients and was administered by a neuropsychologist. A frequency analysis on each test was performed in order to explore visual perceptual disorders in pwMS.
Results
In 57% of the pwMS showed visual perception disorders. The most commonly affected functions were mental flexibility (TMT-B; 37%) and visual searching (TMT-A; 30%). Disorders in figure-ground perception (L-POST Figure-Ground segmentation) were found in 25% of the pwMS. Object perception (VOSP Silhouettes) was affected in 19% of the pwMS.
Discussion
This exploratory study suggests that pwMS do show disorders of visual perception. Particularly mental flexibility in a visual task, visual searching, figure-ground perception and object perception were affected. Disorders in visual perception may therefore contribute to the experience of visual complaints of pwMS.
Conclusions
In providing care and rehabilitation for pwMS and visual complaints and to increase quality of life, it is of significant value to further explore the disorders of visual perception and the cause of the visual complaints.
Materials
The DiaNAH test battery (De Vries et al, 2017) was used to assess visual perception and consisted of: Bells Test, Cake Thief, Trail Making Test (TMT), L-POST Figure-Ground segmentation, L-POST Motion Detection, L-POST Shape Ratio Discrimination, Corsi Block Tapping Task, Taylor Complex Figure, Visual Object Space Perception (VOSP) Dot Counting, VOSP Silhouettes and Crowing. The tests were completed in Metrisquare© on a 24” tablet.
Method
The DiaNAH test battery was completed by 28 pwMS who were referred to a rehabilitation centre for patients and was administered by a neuropsychologist. A frequency analysis on each test was performed in order to explore visual perceptual disorders in pwMS.
Results
In 57% of the pwMS showed visual perception disorders. The most commonly affected functions were mental flexibility (TMT-B; 37%) and visual searching (TMT-A; 30%). Disorders in figure-ground perception (L-POST Figure-Ground segmentation) were found in 25% of the pwMS. Object perception (VOSP Silhouettes) was affected in 19% of the pwMS.
Discussion
This exploratory study suggests that pwMS do show disorders of visual perception. Particularly mental flexibility in a visual task, visual searching, figure-ground perception and object perception were affected. Disorders in visual perception may therefore contribute to the experience of visual complaints of pwMS.
Conclusions
In providing care and rehabilitation for pwMS and visual complaints and to increase quality of life, it is of significant value to further explore the disorders of visual perception and the cause of the visual complaints.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 5-Sept-2019 |
| Event | 7th scientific meeting of the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, Milaan, Italy Duration: 5-Sept-2019 → 7-Sept-2019 |
Conference
| Conference | 7th scientific meeting of the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Italy |
| City | Milaan |
| Period | 05/09/2019 → 07/09/2019 |