Executive functioning in systemic lupus erythematosus / by Patricia G. Ruby.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Ruby, Patricia Gitta.

Contributor:

Classes of 1883 and 1884 Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Systemic lupus erythematosus--Psychological aspects.

Systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus--Physiological aspects.

Physical Description:

153 leaves ; 28 cm

Summary:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can involve the central nervous system (CNS); clinical manifestations of CNS involvement in SLE are commonly referred to as neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus (NPSLE).

This study investigated whether deficits in executive functioning are present in individuals with SLE. Group One consisted of 25 women diagnosed with non-NPSLE; Group Two consisted of six women diagnosed with NPSLE. Group Three consisted of seven women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); Group Four consisted of 15 healthy controls. Participants were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests assessing executive functioning: (1) Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: categories completed, number of perseverative errors, (2) Booklet Category Test: errors, (3) Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT): total words, (4) Design Fluency: total novel outputs in Free and Fixed conditions, (5) Stroop Color and Word Test: Color Word trial score, (6) Trail Making Test Part B: time, and (7) Porteus Mazes Test: Test Age.

Participants in Group Four were significantly younger, better educated, and had higher estimated IQs than persons in Group One. People in Group One endorsed more depressive symptoms than those in Group Four. A greater proportion of people with non-NPSLE were taking anti-depressants than people with NPSLE or RA; a greater proportion of people with RA were taking methotrexate than people with SLE.

The NPSLE group did not perform more poorly than the other three groups, before or after covarying for age, education, IQ and BDI scores.

The non-NPSLE group demonstrated a trend toward poorer performance than normal controls on the Design Fluency Fixed condition before, but not after, covarying for age, education, IQ and BDI scores.

The NPSLE group demonstrated a higher proportion of neuropsychologically impaired participants when compared to the non-NPSLE and RA groups, but not when compared to the normal control group.

The non-NPSLE group did not demonstrate a higher proportion of neuropsychologically impaired participants than the normal control group.

Important limitations of the study included the very small number of participants in two of the groups, low power, increased risk of Type II error, and uneven group sizes.

Notes:

Photocopy. : Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI Dissertation Services/Proquest, 2007. 153 p. UMI no.: 9968514

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2000.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Classes of 1883 and 1884 Fund.

ISBN:

0599732962

9780599732964

OCLC:

190788115