b'Symptom ManagementConfronting Cognitive Confronting Cognitive ChallengesChallengesUnderstanding, screening for, Understanding, screening for, and addressing changes can and addressing changes can help you retain control .help you retain control .By Meghan Beier, Ph.D., M.A."Did I just walk out of the house in myprocessing speed, executive dysfunction slippers?"Sarahrealizedhalfwaythrough(difficulty with planning and organization), dropping her kids off at school that she was stilltrouble learning new information, and challenges wearing her fuzzy house slippers instead of thewith word-finding or expressing thoughts sneakers she needed for her PT appointmenteffectively. From an MS perspective, these afterward.challenges are primarily caused by brain Up to 65 percent of people with multiplelesions or neurodegenerationthe loss of sclerosis experience cognitive changes at somebrain tissue. However, they can also be caused point, with studies showing that one-thirdor worsened by factors such as medication already face cognitive challenges at the timeside-effects,poorsleep,dehydration(yes, of their diagnosis.avoiding UTIs isnt the only reason to keep drinking water), and mental health challenges Daily cognitive lapses such as the one abovesuch as anxiety or depression.or others, such as constantly forgetting yourUnderstanding these factors is crucial because keys, purse, glasses, or wallet; not rememberingrecognizing whats causing your cognitive issues why you went into a room; struggling to ndcan be the rst step in addressing them. that word on the tip of your tongue; or feelingWlike you cant keep up in conversationscanWhhyyccooggnniittiivveeaasssseessssmmeenntti siimmppoorrttaannttmake you wonder, Is this MS?isIn fact, many common experiences, suchGetting your cognition assessed can be scary. as sleep disruption, intense grief, ADHD, orMany people worry about what they might normal aging, can affect our thinking skills.discover, fearing it could lead to further feelings This makes it challenging to determine whetherof depression or anxiety. It might feel as if a part those subtle cognitive challenges youre noticingof you is being taken away. These concerns are every day are because of MS or something else.valid, and it\'s important to acknowledge them. Lets go through some ways to help youHowever, understanding the root of your pinpoint some signs and signals of MS-relatedcognitive challenges can also be empowering. cognitive changes, what to look for, how to getKnowing what youre dealing with allows you them assessed by your healthcare team, andto take targeted steps toward improvement. the benets of early assessment.For instance, it could be as simple as adjusting T a medication or seeing a sleep specialist to get Thheeccooggnniittiivveecchhaalllleennggeess your sleep back on track. An assessment can common to MSprovide clarity, helping both you and your medical common to MS The most frequent cognitive challengesteam to determine the best intervention or experienced by people with MS include slowedtreatment. msfocusmagazine.org 8'