Alexithymia patients with multiple sclerosis: the differential effect of some clinical symptoms and attention control

The study hypothesized: “Patients with sclerosis are affected by alexithymia; both anxiety, depression and impaired attention control contribute to infection". The study conducted on a sample of 45 patients with multiple sclerosis scattered from the residents of Assiut and New Valley Governorates (women; average age 45.5 years and standard deviation ± 2.3 years). These individuals subjected to a range of psychological tests (the Alexithymia Toronto test, the Spielberg test for anxiety, the BDI-II depression test, and the Stroop test). The sample divided into (1) patients with RRMS, (2) patients with primary progressive pattern (PPMS), and (3) SPMS patients compared to healthy patients. The results showed significant differences between the two groups (patients - corrections) in each of the tools used and in the analysis of multiple regression found the ability of alexithymia to predict anxiety and depression and negatively related to the exact attention. The results discussed in light of psychoneuroimmunological vision.