title: Patient-related factors may affect the outcome of neuropsychological rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with neuropsychological rehabilitation outcome in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight relapsing-remitting MS patients received multimodal neuropsychological intervention (attention retraining, teaching compensatory strategies, psychoeducation, psychological support, and homework assignments) conducted once a week in 60-minute sessions during thirteen consecutive weeks. The evaluated factors included: 1) patient-related (baseline objective and subjective cognitive performance, mood, fatigue, as well as demographic factors); 2) illness-related (duration and severity of the disease); and 3) intervention-related factors (amount of computer-based attention exercises and homework assignments, therapist's evaluation of the benefit, and therapist).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient-related factors affected rehabilitation outcome, whereas illness- and intervention-related factors did not. The results showed that especially MS patients with male gender and more severe attentional deficits benefitted from the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient-related factors may affect neuropsychological rehabilitation outcome in MS.
authors: Tampere University Hospital, Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, PO Box 2000, 33521 Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: eija.rosti-otajarvi@pshp.fi.
authors: Eija
authors: E
authors: Rosti-Otajärvi
authors: Anu
authors: A
authors: Mäntynen
authors: Keijo
authors: K
authors: Koivisto
authors: Heini
authors: H
authors: Huhtala
authors: Päivi
authors: P
authors: Hämäläinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001288:Attention; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003710:Demography; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Attention; MS; Multiple sclerosis; Neuropsychological rehabilitation; Predictors; Rehabilitation outcome