TABLE 1.

Characteristics and neuropsychological performance

Parameter	Max. score	MS (n = 43)	HC (n = 53)	Zvalue	P value	Cohen’s d
Female a		30 (69.8)	29 (54.7)	n.a.	0.132 b	n.a.
Age (years) c		40.0 (34.0–50.0)	42.0 (30.0–55.0)	−0.11	0.915 d	0.01
Education (years) c		12.0 (11.0–13.0)	12.0 (12.0–14.0)	−1.56	0.118 d	0.18
EDSS c		1.5 (1.0–2.0)	n.a.
Disease duration (years) c , e		8.15 (4.1–18.8)	n.a.
FSS c		3.7 (2.6–4.9)	n.a.
Currently perceived fatigue c , f		2.0 (1.0–3.0)	n.a.
Logical reasoning (test score) c	25	16.0 (12.0–18.0)	18.0 (16.0–20.0)	−2.39	0.017 d	0.54
Response inhibition (time in ms) c		412.0 (358.0–477.0)	422.0 (375.0–451.0)	−0.08	0.935 d	0.08
Response inhibition (errors) c		1.0 (0–2.0)	1.0 (0–1.0)	−1.40	0.161 d	0.34
Verbal attention span (test score) c	12	7.0 (6.0–8.0)	8.0 (7.0–9.0)	−2.56	0.011 d	0.56
Verbal working memory (test score) c	12	6.0 (5.0–7.0)	6.0 (6.0–8.0)	−1.11	0.269 d	0.20
Mental complex calculation (correct answers) c	16	15.0 (14.0–16.0)	15.0 (14.0–16.0)	−0.37	0.708 d	0.10
Ratio processing (correct answers) c	26	21.0 (12.0–24.0)	22.0 (19.0–24.0)	−1.65	0.100 d	0.45
Quantity discrimination (Weber’s quotient) c		0.18 (0.14–0.25)	0.15 (0.14–0.19)	−1.49	0.137 d	0.45
Framing effect c , g		1.4 (0.4–2.6)	0.8 (0.2–1.8)	−2.26	0.024 d	0.49
Anxiety score c	21	5.0 (2.0–7.0)	4.0 (2.0–6.0)	−1.32	0.186 d	0.32
Depression score c	21	3.0 (1.0–4.0)	2.0 (1.0–4.0)	−0.78	0.436 d	0.20

Bold values indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05).

Abbreviations: EDSS, Expanded Disability Status Scale; FSS, Fatigue Severity Scale; HC, healthy controls; MS, multiple sclerosis; n.a., not applicable.

^aNumber (percentage).

^bChi‐square test.

^cMedian (interquartile range).

^dMann−Whitney U‐test.

^eInformation about disease duration was available for all but one patient.

^fFrom 0 – no fatigue to 10 – extreme fatigue.

^gScore difference between positively framed items (high percentage of effectiveness) and negatively framed items (low percentage of ineffectiveness).