A – 114 Understanding Emotional and Neuropsychological Patterns in Multiple System Atrophy

Objective Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by parkinsonism and impaired autonomic functions. As the second most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, it has an incidence rate of 3 per 100,000 people. Following the introduction of new diagnostic criteria in 2022, there has been a push for deeper understanding, improved therapies, and more clinical trials. This study explored the emotional functioning, diagnostic assessment process, and neuropsychological performance of individuals with MSA. Method Participants (N = 13; 10 males; Mage = 73.77) from a de-identified database provided by National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center completed several neuropsychological assessments, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Boston Naming Test (30 items; BNT-30), Animal and Vegetable Verbal Fluency tasks, Digit Symbol, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Trail Making Tests A and B (TMT-A & TMT-B). Descriptive and correlation analyses were conducted. Results Although nearly half of the sample reported experiencing apathy, few participants reported other mood symptoms (i.e., irritability, depression, anxiety, disinhibition) over the past month. Age was not significantly associated with performance on the cognitive tests, whereas years of education was significantly associated with MoCA (r = –.674, p < .05) and TMT-A (r = –.575, p < .05) scores. Average scores across the various neuropsychological tests were calculated. Conclusion Further research is warranted to better understand the complexity of MSA and its impact on individuals’ emotional and neuropsychological functioning. Evidence-based neuropsychological practice guidelines should acknowledge the influence of clinical factors on test performance, as well as emphasize the need for supportive interventions for both patients and caregivers.