Cognitive impairment in MS: What is its true impact on the daily lives of people living with MS?

Cognitive symptoms, such as brain fog and memory problems, are common in multiple sclerosis (MS). Cognitive symptoms can impact the employment, social life, and relationships of people living with MS (PwMS) and their participation in shared decision-making in their care. Despite this considerable impact on the daily life on PwMS, cognitive symptoms are not always addressed in MS care in the way that physical symptoms are, and are overlooked for many PwMS.

This article, published in Neurology and Therapy on July 19, 2023, summarizes discussions held in 2020 at a medical conference called the European Charcot Foundation Conference between members of the MS in the 21^st Century initiative. This panel represented the patient voice as well as the healthcare professional perspective.

The panel discussed the low prioritization of cognitive symptoms in MS care and some of the reasons for this, including the ‘invisible’ nature of these symptoms. The panel also emphasized the importance of open communication between MS healthcare professionals and PwMS about how these symptoms affect daily life and how they can be proactively managed to maintain quality of life in the long term. Discussions highlighted that cognitive symptoms should be prioritized as highly as physical symptoms, not only in MS care but also the clinical drug development setting.