Approximately fifty percent of patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis will have some form of cognitive impairment or dysfunction due to the inflammation that this disease causes within the white matter of the brain.
Cognitive functioning refers to our thought processes and our ability to process information within the brain.
Cognitive skills include reading comprehension, memory, speech, problem solving, reasoning, and our ability to learn and retain new information.
Most individuals with MS will only experience a slight impairment in cognitive functioning while five to ten percent of patients who have this disease will suffer from severe cognitive impairment that will interfere significantly with their abilities to perform everyday tasks.
Cognitive Deficits in Memory Function and Concentration In the majority of patients with multiple sclerosis, a decline in cognitive functioning will typically occur gradually and most commonly affects the skills of memory, concentration, and language.
When having a conversation, the individual may have trouble remembering a word or difficulty in finding the right words they wish to say.
The memory issues that occur with MS include the inability to remember certain tasks that include when to take medications, scheduled appointments, important events, and common objects or things that were once familiar to them.
A lack of concentration is also a common problem in patients with multiple sclerosis and they may become easily distracted and fail to finish certain tasks or chores before moving on to another eventually resulting in many chores or tasks being left unfinished.
Cognitive Fatigue and Slowed Processing Speed Many individuals with MS also experience cognitive fatigue that causes them to become mentally tired more easily than healthy individuals.
For instance, when taking a test or exam they may do well in the beginning but slowly begin to tire mentally and do poorly towards the end.
Problem solving can also become an issue for those with MS.
For instance, they may attempt to solve a problem with a solution that fails; however, they still continue their attempt to solve the same problem with the same solution over and over again.
In the majority of individuals who experience cognitive impairment with MS, the speed in which they process information and thoughts is slowed down and causes them to have difficulty with the speed at which they recall information and process their thoughts.
Coping with Cognitive Impairment For patients with multiple sclerosis, cognitive impairment can be one of the most frustrating aspects of this disease; however, there are many ways in which to cope that will help to compensate for some of the cognitive decline.
One of the methods that can aid with the loss of memory is to keep a notepad or journal and write everything down - particularly important tasks or chores, scheduled appointments, what medications to take and when to take them, and important events.
Programmable palm held electronic organizers are great for keeping track of numerous things and can be programmed to give a certain beep or sound at a set time for a specific task.
Avoid the loss of important items by creating specific places in your home for to keep these items such as car keys, glasses, and other items of importance and make a habit of always replacing these items in their in there specific place.
Create a support group or network of close family and friends that are willing to help you by reminding you of important dates or events.
Some studies have also shown that keeping your brain active by playing games or doing math and crossword puzzles on a regular basis may help to improve or slow down the progression of cognitive impairment in some patients with multiple sclerosis.