Fuzzy thinking can be one of the most disheartening symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Frequently referred to as “brain fog” or “brain fatigue,” the condition is an episode of mental confusion that often strikes without warning. When it happens, patients may experience a lack of focus, poor memory or overall reduced cognition. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, more than 50 percent of patients experience brain fog at some point in the course of their disease.
The good news? There are strategies to help you cope with the condition.
[See: 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore.]
Since multiple sclerosis is a central nervous disease that affects the brain, it’s understandable that disturbances in thinking play a role. “In MS, the immune system overreacts and causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, leaving lesions [scars] caused by damage to the myelin sheath [the covering of neurons],” explains Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas, a neuroimmunologist at OhioHealth Neuroscience Center in Columbus, Ohio. “This damage can trigger problems with mental processes. For example, it can make conversations challenging because words are hard to find, or make reading a simple magazine article mentally exhausting. It can also make multi-tasking really tough,” Nicholas says. What’s more, lesions aren’t the only factor that can lead to brain fog. ” Depression, anxiety and chronic physical fatigue, which are also common symptoms of MS, can contribute to fuzzy thinking,” she points out.
“Imagine a computer whose processing speed gets slowed down, and you’ll get an idea of what an MS patient with brain fog is experiencing,” explains Victoria Leavitt, clinical neuropsychologist and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
What can be done about it? “Right now we don’t have one widely accepted treatment to help with cognitive issues,” Leavitt says. “But that doesn’t mean there aren’t several behavioral and medical avenues that show benefits.”
Here are some of the more promising methods for dealing with brain fog:
Choose Aerobic Exercise
In a study done at the University of British Columbia of 86 women who were 80 years or older, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise (the kind that pumps up the rate of your heart) appears to increase the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.
Another study that specifically looked at MS patients, published in 2013 in the International Journal of MS Care, concluded that the mood of subjects who participated in a regular aerobic exercise program had improved. And that’s crucial for healthy brain function. “Depression and anxiety can contribute to cognitive problems,” Nicholas points out. “When somebody is feeling blue or worried, they have trouble thinking clearly. Brain fatigue also increases with mood disorders,” she adds.
Caveat: Before beginning any new exercise regimen, patients should have a discussion with their MS doctor or physical therapist.
Follow a Mediterranean Diet
“This diet, which is abundant in fatty fish, olive oil and nuts (all foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids), is strongly tied to a healthy brain, and that’s why folks with MS can benefit by following it,” Leavitt says. The Northern Manhattan Study, published in 2012 in the Archives of Neurology, reported that older adults who followed the Mediterranean diet showed less damage to their brain’s small vessels, the kind that causes symptoms in diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
[See: 10 Lessons From Empowered Patients.]
Catch More ZZZ’s
” Sleep is hugely related to brain health,” Leavitt says. “Few of us have the ability to fire on all cylinders when we haven’t slept enough and multiple sclerosis patients have more sleep difficulties than most. MS symptoms such as spasticity, mood disorders, lack of exercise, bladder and bowel issues, as well as pain, can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep.”
The National Sleep Foundation offers these tips for a good night’s slumber:
— Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wakeup time, even on weekends.
— Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual such as meditation or soaking in a bath.
— Exercise daily.
— Make sure your bedroom is sleep-friendly: Shut down all electronics, and keep the room cool, quiet and dark.
Get Your Levels Checked
“The first thing I look for in my patients who complain of cognitive issues is their B12 level,” Nicholas says. “It’s an extremely important vitamin for nerve health. People who are low in it have difficulty thinking, and they also experience more brain fatigue.” If this is the case, Nicholas says that she prescribes B12 supplements, which can be purchased over-the-counter. She also checks thyroid levels. “Typically hypothyroid [low] can also cause cognitive difficulties. In this instance, I typically prescribe synthroid or a similar medication.”
“If a patient is dealing with depression or anxiety, prescribing an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication not only helps to improve their mood and brain function, but can sometimes give patients more energy,” Nicholas says.
[See: 8 Ways to Relax Now.]
Practice Meditation
Mindfulness meditation, where you concentrate on your breath, or internally repeat a mantra (or a simple word like “peace”) and let any thoughts pass like clouds while sitting in a quiet comfortable space, has been shown to reduce fatigue and depression in MS patients — both factors that contribute to brain fog. According to research published in the 2010 journal Neurology, 75 patients who took an eight-week course in mindfulness meditation training had much less fatigue and depression than the control group of 75 MS patients who did not meditate. Nicholas agrees that meditation is good for the brain. “It’s helpful in clearing the mind and enabling people to orient themselves to the day with less anxiety and stress,” she says.
“We still can’t predict which patients will be more likely to decline cognitively,” Leavitt admits. “But we do know that it’s important to stay proactive. So let your doctor know when you’re experiencing brain fog. There are treatments that really do help.”
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How to Lift the Brain Fog That May Come With Multiple Sclerosis originally appeared on usnews.com
