Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis
Background: Apathy is relatively frequent and significantly associated with clinical and cognitive outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), even if previous research has produced mixed results. This varied picture could be due to most studies treating apathy as a unitary construct, despite the evidence...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/3/385 |
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| author | Simona Raimo Mariachiara Gaita Antonio Costanzo Daniele Spitaleri Gabriella Santangelo |
| author_facet | Simona Raimo Mariachiara Gaita Antonio Costanzo Daniele Spitaleri Gabriella Santangelo |
| author_sort | Simona Raimo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Apathy is relatively frequent and significantly associated with clinical and cognitive outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), even if previous research has produced mixed results. This varied picture could be due to most studies treating apathy as a unitary construct, despite the evidence showing that apathy is a multifaceted syndrome including three different sub-domains (i.e., cognitive, affective, and behavioral). This study aims to investigate the neuropsychological correlates of apathy fractionated into its three sub-domains in participants with MS. Methods: Eighty-five participants with MS underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. The severity of apathy symptoms was assessed by the self-report version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale. Results: Correlational analysis showed that cognitive apathy sub-domain scores had a high correlation with the performances obtained at cognitive tests tapping into inhibitory control (i.e., IML and Strop test-interference task), whereas the affective apathy sub-domain scores had a high correlation with the performances obtained at cognitive test tapping into the use of executive functions in visuospatial abilities (i.e., Clock Drawing Test). Moreover, linear regression analysis results showed that the cognitive apathy sub-domain scores predicted executive functioning domain scores and that the cognitive and affective apathy sub-domains scores predicted visuospatial abilities domain scores. Conclusion: These results confirm that apathy is a multidimensional concept with important neuropsychological correlates, visible only when it is fractionated into its sub-domains. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:50:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-99408b8ab770410a85b2ed74ea02f0fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:50:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-99408b8ab770410a85b2ed74ea02f0fc2023-11-17T09:59:05ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252023-02-0113338510.3390/brainsci13030385Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple SclerosisSimona Raimo0Mariachiara Gaita1Antonio Costanzo2Daniele Spitaleri3Gabriella Santangelo4Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 88100 Caserta, ItalyNeurology Unit “San Giuseppe Moscati”, Hospital Avellino, 83100 Avellino, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 88100 Caserta, ItalyBackground: Apathy is relatively frequent and significantly associated with clinical and cognitive outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), even if previous research has produced mixed results. This varied picture could be due to most studies treating apathy as a unitary construct, despite the evidence showing that apathy is a multifaceted syndrome including three different sub-domains (i.e., cognitive, affective, and behavioral). This study aims to investigate the neuropsychological correlates of apathy fractionated into its three sub-domains in participants with MS. Methods: Eighty-five participants with MS underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. The severity of apathy symptoms was assessed by the self-report version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale. Results: Correlational analysis showed that cognitive apathy sub-domain scores had a high correlation with the performances obtained at cognitive tests tapping into inhibitory control (i.e., IML and Strop test-interference task), whereas the affective apathy sub-domain scores had a high correlation with the performances obtained at cognitive test tapping into the use of executive functions in visuospatial abilities (i.e., Clock Drawing Test). Moreover, linear regression analysis results showed that the cognitive apathy sub-domain scores predicted executive functioning domain scores and that the cognitive and affective apathy sub-domains scores predicted visuospatial abilities domain scores. Conclusion: These results confirm that apathy is a multidimensional concept with important neuropsychological correlates, visible only when it is fractionated into its sub-domains.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/3/385multiple sclerosisapathybehavioral disorderscognitive dysfunctions |
| spellingShingle | Simona Raimo Mariachiara Gaita Antonio Costanzo Daniele Spitaleri Gabriella Santangelo Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis Brain Sciences multiple sclerosis apathy behavioral disorders cognitive dysfunctions |
| title | Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_full | Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_fullStr | Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_short | Distinct Neuropsychological Correlates of Apathy Sub-Domains in Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_sort | distinct neuropsychological correlates of apathy sub domains in multiple sclerosis |
| topic | multiple sclerosis apathy behavioral disorders cognitive dysfunctions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/3/385 |
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