http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/news_week.ssf?/news/oregonian/01/01/sc_41ms131.frame

Wednesday, January 31, 2001

Many people, including doctors, do not realize that multiple sclerosis can cause cognitive as well as physical impairment. However, recent research shows that 40 percent to 60 percent of people with MS develop some degree of cognitive symptoms. These can include:

• Short-term memory loss: "Where did I put my keys?" Patient cannot remember where she parked the car or what she had for breakfast but can remember telephone number of a childhood friend.

• Fluency with words: Patient knows the word he's looking for, knows the meaning but at the moment the actual word just won't come off the tongue.

• Forgetfulness: The patient may retain the first part of a message and forget the rest.

• Flip-flop communication: The patient has an appointment at 5 p.m. Oct. 3, but that information gets transposed in his head to 3 p.m. Oct. 5.

• Information overload: The patient has difficulty keeping two things in mind at once. A receptionist gets lost trying to answer the telephone, open mail and deal with people who come to the desk with questions.

• Judgment and problem solving: The patient locks her keys inside the house and gets frustrated because she knows how to solve the problem but at the moment can't figure out the steps.

• Inappropriate emotional expression: Crying when something's not sad or giggling when something's not funny.

Source: the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Oregon Chapter and the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Oregon at Oregon Health Sciences University.
 

Copyright 2001 Oregon Live.