The link between multiple sclerosis and memory loss
Symptoms of disease can have an indirect effect and worsen problems
IN THE NEWS: Almost one million people in the United States have multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that attacks the body in various ways.
Many of the symptoms of MS are unpredictable. Others, such as memory loss, are more common. Research shows that up to 66% of individuals with the condition have shown cognitive impairment in formal testing.
Dr. Michael Sy, a neurologist at UCI Health, tells Health Central that many facets of MS can indirectly interfere with memory.
“MS can affect sleep, fatigue, pain and mood. All of these symptoms can individually reduce short-term memory and can also interact with each other to make memory problems worse.”
Sy is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at UCI School of Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. He is a board-certified neurologist whose focus is on multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases affecting the central nervous system.
Sy is involved in translational research and clinical trials studying demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system.