Validity of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test as a cognition performance outcome measure for multiple sclerosis

Cognitive and motor performance measures are commonly employed in multiple sclerosis (MS) research, particularly when the purpose is to determine the efficacy of treatment. The increasing focus of new therapies on slowing progression or reversing neurological disability makes the utilization of sens...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Multiple sclerosis Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 721 - 733
Main Authors: Benedict, Ralph Hb, DeLuca, John, Phillips, Glenn, LaRocca, Nicholas, Hudson, Lynn D, Rudick, Richard
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 01.04.2017
Subjects:
Cognition - physiology
Cognition Disorders - physiopathology
Female
Humans
Male
Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology
Neuropsychological Tests
Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
Reproducibility of Results
Task Performance and Analysis
Multiple sclerosis
performance outcome
psychometric validity
cognition
Symbol Digit Modalities Test
processing speed
ISSN:1477-0970
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:Cognitive and motor performance measures are commonly employed in multiple sclerosis (MS) research, particularly when the purpose is to determine the efficacy of treatment. The increasing focus of new therapies on slowing progression or reversing neurological disability makes the utilization of sensitive, reproducible, and valid measures essential. Processing speed is a basic elemental cognitive function that likely influences downstream processes such as memory. The Multiple Sclerosis Outcome Assessments Consortium (MSOAC) includes representatives from advocacy organizations, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), academic institutions, and industry partners along with persons living with MS. Among the MSOAC goals is acceptance and qualification by regulators of performance outcomes that are highly reliable and valid, practical, cost-effective, and meaningful to persons with MS. A critical step for these neuroperformance metrics is elucidation of clinically relevant benchmarks, well-defined degrees of disability, and gradients of change that are deemed clinically meaningful. This topical review provides an overview of research on one particular cognitive measure, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), recognized as being particularly sensitive to slowed processing of information that is commonly seen in MS. The research in MS clearly supports the reliability and validity of this test and recently has supported a responder definition of SDMT change approximating 4 points or 10% in magnitude.
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ISSN:1477-0970
DOI:10.1177/1352458517690821