Problems with memory and thinking - also called 'cognitive problems' - can affect people with MS, but most people will be affected mildly. Some people find it harder to find the right words, to concentrate or to recall things quickly.
Depression can occur throughout the course of MS, even in mild forms of the disease [11], and has a reported higher risk of depression in the first years after the diagnosis [12]. Disease activity, but not its duration, was associated with depression and anxiety [13].
Slowed cognitive processing speed and episodic memory decline are the most common cognitive deficits in MS, with additional difficulties in executive function, verbal fluency, and visuospatial analysis.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Studies have shown that MS disrupts several social cognitive abilities [including empathy and theory of mind (ToM)].
People may experience such things as forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and confusion. Brain fog is also referred to as “brain haze” or “cog fog” — short for cognitive fog. As we know, MS is a disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord.
MS can occasionally cause inappropriate behavior
This type of behavior is thought to result in part from MS-related damage to the normal inhibitory functions of the brain. These behaviors may also reflect very poor judgment related to cognitive dysfunction caused by MS.
While many with MS will experience depression or anxiety at some point, more rarely, some people experience changes to their emotions or behaviour that don't seem to make sense, or that they aren't able to control.
MS can affect mood
worry, fear, moodiness, irritability and anxiety: normal in the face of unpredictability; anyone can become a bit irritable when faced with difficult challenges. depression is one of the most common symptoms of MS and a major risk factor for suicide.
MS and emotions
You might hear it called pseudobulbar affect. If you're experiencing emotionalism, you may find that you have very sudden, intense periods of emotion that seem out of proportion or unrelated to whatever triggered them. You may easily burst into tears, or suddenly get very angry.
MS can occasionally cause inappropriate behavior
This type of behavior is thought to result in part from MS-related damage to the normal inhibitory functions of the brain. These behaviors may also reflect very poor judgment related to cognitive dysfunction caused by MS.
Cranial nerve damage or inflammation could contribute to a feeling of pressure in your head. The optic nerve relays visual messages to the CNS so inflammation or damage to or near it can cause blurred vision, double vision, loss of vision, and pain.
Slowed cognitive processing speed and episodic memory decline are the most common cognitive deficits in MS, with additional difficulties in executive function, verbal fluency, and visuospatial analysis.
Symptoms can affect how you manage your daily activities, including personal and professional relationships. Physiologically, it can also affect parts of the brain that control a person's mood or anxiety level.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Studies have shown that MS disrupts several social cognitive abilities [including empathy and theory of mind (ToM)].
What do MS attacks feel like? MS attack symptoms vary, including problems with balance and coordination, vision problems, trouble concentrating, fatigue, weakness, or numbness and tingling in your limbs.
Surveys for patient pain indicate that the most common pain syndromes experienced in MS are: continuous burning in extremities; headache; back pain; and painful tonic spasms.
Disease Course of MS Is Unpredictable
A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.
Numbness, vaginal dryness, erectile dysfunction and loss of libido: these are some of the ways that multiple sclerosis can impact your sex life. In addition to physical changes, you may also be coping with fatigue, pain and depression — not to mention the stresses that a chronic disease can place on a relationship.
Study participants with MS were compared to a control group. The researchers found that people with MS were more likely to be angry (trait anger), have a higher intensity of anger (state anger), and express anger either outwardly or inwardly, as compared to the control group.
A large epidemiological study by Patten et al22 involving >10,000 MS patients in Canada found that between 2% and 4% had experienced psychotic symptoms and met the criteria for a diagnosis of psychotic disorder (including organic and nonorganic psychosis).