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Neuropsychological assessment in myasthenia gravis

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Abstract

Neuropsychological studies in myasthenia gravis (MG) were undertaken to prove the central nervous involvement. However, they still produce contradictory results. In the present study, a battery of cognitive measures was administered to examine global cognitive functioning, verbal learning, attention, executive function and motor performance. Analysis of partial scores in verbal learning and response fluency trials did not reveal fatigue effect in MG patients. It was shown that in tasks requiring motor, and particularly oculomotor, involvement, the muscle fatigue could account for the deficits observed. Thus, impaired performance on some cognitive measures in MG should be interpreted as an effect of muscle fatigability rather than central nervous system involvement.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Prof. Krzysztof Jodzio from University of Gdańsk, Institute of Psychology for his help in preparing the testing procedure and supervising the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Nursing, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Do Studzienki 38, 80-227, Gdańsk, Poland

    Emilia J. Sitek

  2. Department of Neurology, St Adalbert Hospital, Al. Jana Pawła II 50, 80-462, Gdańsk, Poland

    Emilia J. Sitek

  3. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Debinki 7, 80-952, Gdańsk, Poland

    Małgorzata M. Bilińska & Walenty M. Nyka

  4. Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Debinki 7, 80-952, Gdańsk, Poland

    Dariusz Wieczorek

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  1. Emilia J. Sitek
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  2. Małgorzata M. Bilińska
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  3. Dariusz Wieczorek
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  4. Walenty M. Nyka
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Correspondence to Emilia J. Sitek.

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Sitek, E.J., Bilińska, M.M., Wieczorek, D. et al. Neuropsychological assessment in myasthenia gravis. Neurol Sci 30, 9–14 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-008-0001-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-008-0001-y

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