short term memory
 

I am going to a seminar about cognitive issues with MS and I have a hard time remembering what short term memory means so went looking on the web so I wouldn't embarrass myself too much if I decided to ask a question about it.

During my search I found an interesting test for short term memory. I did pretty good...8 numbers.

Want to try it? I haven't tried the other tests/activities yet.

http://www.braingle.com/mind/test_numbers.php

i did well too but ask me the numbers in an hour or two and they will not be there

thanks for the link, hope you enjoy the seminar

My long term memory is great. I remember so many things I did when I was very young and places I had seen.

I can even tell you names of all thirty three in my Kindergarten class by looking at the class photo!!

My short term memory is just awful so DH goes with me to Doctor appts and he tells me later what the Doctor said because I wouldn't be able to remember anything he said.

I don't like that game. lol I got 8 on the numbers, 6 on the letters, and only 4 on the words. Oh, so sad.

There is a test on the web from the University of Miami. Its a quick test and you can print out the results and bring it to your dr. I'll see if I can find that site and post the link.

Found it. Here it is: http://www.neurology.ufl.edu/memory/cognitivetest.shtml

Got 6 on the numbers, 5 on the letters, and 13 on the words.

Managed to get some words that went together like apple and trees, but anything I couldn't word associate with another on the list went out the window, lol.

I got 11 on the numbers, 9 on the letters . . . and then I was way too tired to even try the words. :p

Cherie

Not so good. Sigh....

I only remembered 9 words.......kinda creepy :eek:

outer - image - crime - opium - brick - touch - devil - scene - peace

I got 8 numbers but only 7 letters.

Oh crud! I thought I was hot stuff cause I got 7 numbers. Then, I took this test and found out that my executive functioning is very low!! The shifting attention test was not good for me. I thought I was aceing it, too!:eek:

OMG!!! I think I really have to thank you for that link, Tricia. I googled exective functioning and now so many things are making sense for me.

I am really struggling trying to figure out my budget and I just keep getting frustrated. I need to automate as many payments as possible (because I can't keep track and remember), but I can't figure out how to figure out how much money to keep in my bill payment account so that it won't overdraw. I used to be so good at this and so quick and now this makes NO sense to me. Apparently, this is an exective functioning thing and that is why I am stinking at it.

I don't know if I should cry or be relieved to know why I can't do this. Now, I have to figure out who can help me with this.

My executive function was low as well.

I have the same issue as you. However, DD16 helps with it. When a bill comes in we write it on a calendar that is at my desk. It helps us keep on track. Keep in mind my only bills are living costs (rent, utilities, car insurance, and food). She has access to my account online just in case everything goes to crud again. She can do the bill pay online. (I don't trust DD18 doing this right now. Not that she is not trustworthy, she just flakes out every now and then :eek:).

I used to be able to keep it all in my head but not anymore. I sometimes have trouble with simple addition. It's crazy. Sometimes I sit back and think about all my work experience. I did a lot of statistics and trending for three hospitals. There is no way I could do it now.

Yes, that attention shifting one is what got me too. Sometimes I knew the correct arrow to push but there was a communication break between my brain and my fingers. It was frustrating.

Holly - Occupational therapists and speech therapists help with these issues. They help with learning new techniques to keep on task, helping memory, etc.

Well, at least we aren't alone. We have each other! I wish I could borrow your daughter, though. My score was in the 1st percentile. It was so low that it almost didn't register as a person taking the test.:eek:

I guess I have to print out the report and show it to DH and tell him he really has to take over some of this.

LOL. Holly. Keep in mind that it is a quick test online and certainly not a complete diagnosis or anything like that. I took it to see if I was getting better with my cognitive functioning.

Cognitive issues are one of my most frustrating and upsetting symptoms. Going from having a high IQ to have an average to below average is very difficult. I get frustrated when I can't read or comprehend what I am reading. I was an avid reader who always was reading a book or two. I get mad when I know the information is in there and it just won't come out or comes out jumbled up.

Additionally, prior to MS I had an abnormally good memory. One of my older sisters and I were talking about it one day. I was telling her my frustrations with this. She did remind me that while I may have had incredible memory skills prior, I was now experiencing what the average person is like in regards to memory. Before MS, my sisters would always talk about how I remembered everything. It made me feel somewhat better.

When I had some testing done for SSDI, the psychologist that did the test explained to me that based on the parts of the test that I did extremely well on versus the parts that I didn't do well on as well as my education level, prior to all of this it appeared that my level of intelligence was much higher than the average person. Now, however, I cannot comprehend and carry out complex instructions. All instructions would have to be simple. Therefore, in regards to cognitive functioning, working was not an option for me.

Now, I am certainly fighting all this and trying to make a break through. lol I do hope to take a CAD class soon. I may have to put it off until January as I want to get DD16 taken care of 1st. That will be a load off my mind so that I can focus better on the class.

Holly and everyone else, you all are not alone in this. Many hugs to all. :hug:

:rolleyes::rolleyes:what was the question?:rolleyes::rolleyes:

thanks TK

this has been an informative thread

Well, I'm going to retry that test in the morning. Obviously, 3:00 in the afternoon is not my best time to be test taking. I will try again and see if I can get better than very low and low.

Ok, Holly and Tk, what are you two on about with "executive testing" (or whatever you said)? All I found was testing "numbers", "letters" and "words". :confused:

(Obviously I am not good at following directions :p ).

I tried that second link someone gave (more word testing), and I can NOT do the word tests at all. :Head-Spin: That's kinda' interesting, since I did reasonably well with numbers and letters.

Cherie

I really don't understand the executive functions as it relates to MS. I did a google search to see if I could come up with something.

"Common executive abilities include judgment, problem solving, decision making, planning, and social conduct, and depend upon many of our cognitive abilities such as attention, perception, memory, and language."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/13418.php

Most of what I found had to do with ADD.

For me, I have very little visual memory. So doing some of these tests online (visually) is harder for me than doing them in person (auditory memory).

Does that help answer your question Lady?

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ion/index.aspx

Cognitive Function

Cognition refers to a range of high-level brain functions, including the ability to learn and remember information: organize, plan, and problem-solve; focus, maintain, and shift attention as necessary; understand and use language; accurately perceive the environment, and perform calculations. Cognitive changes are common in people with MS—approximately 50% of people with MS will develop problems with cognition.

* A person may experience difficulties in only one or two areas of cognitive functioning or in several.
* Only 5-10% of persons with MS develop problems severe enough to interfere significantly with everyday activities. In very rare instances cognitive dysfunction may become so severe that the person can no longer be cared for at home.

Cognitive Functions Affected in MS

In MS, certain functions are more likely to be affected than others:

* Memory (acquiring, retaining, and retrieving new information)
* Attention and concentration (particularly divided attention)
* Information processing (dealing with information gathered by the five senses)
* Executive functions (planning and prioritizing)
* Visuospatial functions (visual perception and constructional abilities)
* Verbal fluency (word-finding)

Certain functions are likely to remain intact:

* General intellect
* Long-term (remote) memory
* Conversational skill
* Reading comprehension

The Relationship between Cognitive Dysfunction and other Disease Factors

Cognitive problems are only weakly related to other disease characteristics—a person with almost no physical limitations can have significant cognitive impairment, while a person who is quite disabled physically can be unaffected cognitively.

* Changes can occur at any time—even as a first symptom of MS—but are more common later in the disease.
* Cognitive function correlates with number of lesions and lesion area on MRI, as well as brain atrophy.
* Cognitive dysfunction can occur with any disease course, but is slightly more likely in progressive MS.
* Being in an exacerbation is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction.
* Cognitive changes generally progress slowly but are unlikely to improve dramatically once they have begun.

The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment

Early recognition, assessment, and treatment are important because these changes—along with fatigue—can significantly affect a person’s quality of life and are the primary cause of early departure from the workforce. The first signs of cognitive dysfunction may be subtle—noticed first by the person with MS or by a family member or colleague.

* Difficulty finding the right words
* Trouble remembering what to do on the job or during daily routines at home
* Difficulty making decisions or showing poor judgment
* Difficulty keeping up with tasks or conversations

People with MS and their families should talk to the doctor if they are concerned about cognitive dysfunction. A careful evaluation is necessary to determine the cause(s) of mental changes since cognitive function can also be affected by aging or medications, as well as depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue.

* A specially trained health professional (neuropsychologist, speech/ language pathologist, or occupational therapist) administers a battery of tests to evaluate cognitive dysfunction.
* Based on the test findings—including the person's cognitive deficits and strengths—the health professional can provide cognitive rehabilitation, including:
o Computer-mediated memory exercises
o Training in the use of compensatory strategies such as notebooks, computers, and filing systems to compensate for memory problems and other changes.

Research on MS and Cognition

Studies are ongoing to identify ways to stabilize or improve cognitive dysfunction. Since the disease-modifying drugs have all been shown to reduce the accumulation of new demyelinating lesions, it is likely they help to stabilize cognitive changes. However, more studies are needed to determine their effectiveness in this area.

Symptomatic treatments that may temporarily improve cognitive functioning without altering its long-term course have been studied. To date the most successful has been donepezil hydrochloride, showing modest improvement in verbal memory.

Studies funded by the National MS Society are investigating the natural history of cognitive changes, along with better ways of diagnosing and treating cognitive problems in MS. It is hoped that in the future, people with MS will have access to a combination of disease-modifying therapies, symptomatic treatments, and cognitive rehabilitation that will modify the course and impact of the cognitive changes in MS.

Thanks 0357 (my short term memory is bad and I had to look back for your user name) LOL

And PE, I now understand what STM is, I think:), and mine is bad. It is info that I read or am told that most people can remember for a few minutes and up to hours later but won't go into your long term memory because it isn't important or required. If I don't write it down it is most likely gone.

The stuff 0357 quoted are a lot of what was talked about. Executive function is one of the biggies for me. Just ask Bannet, she's been trying to get me to commit to a time to meet for awhile. And I absolutely hate to make a final decision anymore.

One of the interesting things I learned was the deficiency in some of these cognitive issues can add to or cause the fatigue that I have and my anxiety attacks are probably caused by some cognitive issues.

The speaker was my neurologist and she told us that she has a test on the computer that will test and give results in about 5 minutes. I'm wondering if it is one of the sites we mentioned here.

I will be getting a copy of her PowerPoint since the overhead at the conference was almost unreadable. I had a tough time following because I'm more of a visual learner than an audio learner. I was unable to take notes while listening, another short-come I seem to have. That would be the divided attention thing.

And for those of us who are overwhelmed by groups and multi-conversations going on she said to do the obvious. Ask that only one person talk at a time if possible, go to a quieter room to regroup or talk one on one in that room with a person. Sounds easy, can you imagine doing that at a family get-together or in a restaurant with friends. I have found from experience don't double dose on Ativan to avoid the overload, chances are you won't remember the event.

So, I am more informed thanks to the seminar and I plan to go to one that will address spasticity and pain. Another thing I don't totally understand. Is spasticity just a spasm?

Thanks, Sassy! Be sure to fill us in on the next one you go to, too..
I do understand a little better the different types of cognitive function & memory I keep hearing about..I had to laugh at the rehab Dr's account which said I was an "excellent historian" with a bad short term memory and short attention span..Is that even possible?http://www.mskurmudgeonskorner.com/f...cratchhead.gif