MS can affect virtually all areas of neurologic function, including cognition (thinking and memory). Cognitive difficulties in MS are usually not severe but they can affect up to 40% of patients with MS. Medications given to control other MS symptoms may also exacerbate or cause cognitive difficulties. Information processing speed can decrease and you may find that your "multitasking" abilities are impacted. It may become a bit more challenging to do more than one thing at a time. You may also find that it may become more difficult to start projects.

Problems with cognition are often due to, or made worse by stress or depression. Therefore management of cognitive problems may require antidepressant medications. Some of the medications that have been used for Alzheimer’s disease are being studied for MS related cognitive problems but so far results are inconclusive. Other things you can do to help manage these problems include:

• Admit that you have some cognitive deficits and ask for help when needed. You may have to give up on doing things in the way that you "always have."
• Make a list. Make of list of things to do and use it. Use lists when shopping, packing or any activity that requires more than a couple of steps.
• Make a calendar. And use it.
• Make it a habit to look at your “to do” list and calendar frequently and to enter things as they come up.
• Make it a habit to establish a single place for frequently misplaced items. Always put your car keys in the same place.
• remember that you have MS and therefore may tire out easily. This will affect cognitive function too. You may want to determine what your best time of the day is and save your most difficult tasks for that time. Conserve your energy, get enough sleep, pace yourself.
• Break tasks into manageable chunks. If your attention span is 30 minutes, break tasks into 30-minute chunks.
• Avoid things that distract you when you need to concentrate. Don't be afraid to let people know that you need a period of uninterrupted time when working on something.

See also MS Sourcebook