gms | German Medical Science

76. Jahresversammlung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie e. V.

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie e. V.

04.05. - 08.05.2005, Erfurt

Methodology for measuring cognitive functions in patients with allergic rhinitis

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author Bernd Kremer - Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands
  • Isabelle Lutgens - Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands
  • Annemiek Vermeeren - Institut Brain and Behavior, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands
  • Eric Vuurman - Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie. 76. Jahresversammlung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie e.V.. Erfurt, 04.-08.05.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. Doc05hno031

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/meetings/hno2005/05hno004.shtml

Veröffentlicht: 22. September 2005

© 2005 Kremer et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Objective: Previous investigations from our department showed that patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) evaluate their cognitive functions poorer than healthy subjects, however only few objective differences were found. This discrepancy between subjective experience and objective performance can be explained by the hypothesis that AR patients invest more “mental effort” in order to achieve the same performances, resulting in earlier exhaustion. Especially, this should be measured in the more time-demanding and strenuous cognitive tests.

Material and Method: AR patients and healthy subjects were tested before and during the allergic season, with a combination of subjective questionnaires and time-demanding strenuous objective cognitive tests.

Results: The following tests seemed suitable: Mackworth Clock and Continuous Performance Test for measuring sustained attention, Word Learning Task for short and long term memory, Tower of London for executive functioning and Motor Choice Reaction Test for the speed of data processing and the motor system. Significant differences in cognitive functions were found between patients with AR and healthy subjects. Furthermore, scores from visual analogue scales showed that there are significant differences in mental effort to perform certain tasks.

Conclusions: The battery of cognitive measures we developed should enable us to measure the effects of AR on cognitive functions, which can not be found with the existing tests on cognitive functioning.