Decision-Making in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract EN

Background.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently associated with cognitive and behavioural deficits.

A growing number of studies suggest an impact of MS on decision-making abilities.

The aim of this systematic review was to assess if (1) performance of MS patients in decision-making tasks was consistently different from controls and (2) whether this modification was associated with cognitive dysfunction and emotional alterations.

Methods.

The search was conducted on Pubmed/Medline database.

12 studies evaluating the difference between MS patients and healthy controls using validated decision-making tasks were included.

Outcomes considered were quantitative (net scores) and qualitative measurements (deliberation time and learning from feedback).

Results.

Quantitative and qualitative decision-making impairment in MS was present in 64.7% of measurements.

Patients were equally impaired in tasks for decision-making under risk and ambiguity.

A correlation to other cognitive functions was present in 50% of cases, with the highest associations in the domains of processing speed and attentional capacity.

Conclusions.

In MS patients, qualitative and quantitative modifications may be present in any kind of decision-making task and can appear independently of other cognitive measures.

Since decision-making abilities have a significant impact on everyday life, this cognitive aspect has an influential importance in various MS-related treatment settings.