| Summary: | Background/Aim. There are almost no studies on apraxia in people with
multiple sclerosis. Although the white matter is damaged in MS, it is not the
only location in which the pathological changes are present. Demyelinated
lesions in the cortex have recently been recognized as important components
of multiple sclerosis pathology. The aim of this study was to determine
whether apraxia is present among people with MS, and the importance of
demographic characteristics and impairment of functional systems at
conceptualization and execution of movements. Methods. The experimental group
consisted of 30 patients, mean age 51.34 ± 7.70 years. The patients in the
experimental group were diagnosed with MS according to the McDonald criteria.
The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects, mean age 50.30 ± 10.47
years. For research purposes, we used the following instruments:
Questionnaire for Collecting Demographic Data, Kurtzke Functional Systems
Scores, Waterloo-Sunnybrook Apraxia Battery (WatAB). Execution of motion
tasks that are a part of the Watwere incorporated in the System for the
Observation and Analysis of Motor Behavior. Results. Our study showed that
limb apraxia was common in people with MS. Apraxia was present during
pantomime in 26.70% of the patients, and during the imitation of movements in
44.80% of the patients. Gender, age, education level, duration of disease and
a form of MS did not determine the quality of conceptualization and execution
of movements. The time elapsed from the last exacerbation was a determinant
of quality of executed movements. Impairments of functional systems predicted
impairments of movement execution. The expanded disability scale score
correlated with the severity of apraxia. Conclusion. Our study confirm the
presence of apraxia in MS. It is necessary to carry out further studies using
functional magnetic resonance imaging, as well as the conduct longitudinal
studies to determine the precise structure of motor behavior in people with
MS.
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