Dificuldades na avaliação neuropsicológica de pacientes com esclerose múltipla

Abstract

Objective. Neuropsychological assessment can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with neurodegenerative disorders, but still faces problems with the choice and quality of the instruments, especially when evaluating specific diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The aim of this paper is to present the results and the difficulties faced when conducting neuropsychological assessment of MS patients from an outpatient clinic of a public city in Minas Gerais. Method. Application of neuropsychological assessment battery in 24 patients with MS. Results. Most patients showed some deficits in executive functions, especially in memory or motor skills. The evaluation showed evidence a difficulty to long term use in patients suffering from chronic fatigue and for specific equipment validated to assess patients. Conclusions. It is necessary to evaluate patients in the morning, with less extensive tools and also assess the emotional state of patients with MS.