Changes in short-term memory processes in patients with multiple sclerosis

In this study we compared the performance of 39 multiple sclerosis (MS) pat ients, with 28 age-, sex- and education-matched controls on both the Mini-M ental State Examination, a global cognitive assessment tool, and the Sternb erg Short-Term memory scanning task, a standardized test of short-term memo ry (STM) processes. While the STM span of our MS patients did not differ fr om that of our controls, STM scanning time of the RIS group was reliably sl ower than that of the controls and a significant correlation was observed b etween STM scanning time and duration but not severity of illness. Our resu lts suggest that processing stages other than the manipulation of data with in the STM buffer are also affected by MS. Eur J Neurol 6:663-668 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.