Introduction

We went to a presentation on multiple sclerosis the other night given by Tim’s neurologist. It was very good and provided the audience with a comprehensive, easy to understand overview of the disease. When the question was asked about research related to cognitive symptoms and MS, the presenters had a difficult time answering it in anything more than a general way. While great time and expense has been spent researching the physical effects of MS on the human body, the same cannot be said for the time spent studying the cognitive effects. This subject has just come under the spotlight in the past couple of years.


This is one of the reasons Tim and I are starting this blog. We want to do what we can to bring attention to the subject of the effects multiple sclerosis has on cognitive functions, a person’s behavior, and their relationships with their family and friends. We have found that many of the problems that occur in relationships between people with MS and their spouses, children, or other people close to them happen at least partially due to the cognitive changes caused by MS. We hope the information on this site will be helpful to people experiencing these cognitive issues.


So what is the cognitive meltdown of multiple sclerosis? Cognitive symptoms one can experience due to MS include problems with short term memory, paying attention to tasks, executive functions such as problem solving or decision making, and retrieval of information such as trying to remember a word. When you have difficulty with these areas due to MS, you might feel like your brain is having a meltdown! Your family might not understand your symptoms and might attribute your behavior to other reasons, which can cause misunderstandings and fights, or worse. Understanding and knowing how to deal with these cognitive symptoms can help greatly in making your life your loved ones lives easier.