Affiliations: [a] Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Colorado Neurological Institute Epilepsy Center and CNI, Sleep Disorders Center, Englewood, CO; and School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO | [b] Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services, Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital, Denver, CO; and Colorado Neurological Institute, Englewood, CO
Note: [] The authors wish to thank Jim Grigsby, PhD, for his insightful comments and helpful reading of the manuscript. We also acknowledge Susan Ayarbe, PhD, Patricia Daily, MSW, Caryl Hearst, PsyD, Elizabeth Semones, RN, MS, Linda Coulthard-Morris, MA, and the multidisciplinary staff of our MS rehabilitation teams, who contributed to the development of these ideas in practice.
Abstract: In this article, the authors discuss the classification, recognition, and rehabilitation team management of psychological and neurobehavioral disorders in multiple sclerosis (MS), emphasizing throughout their view that from the psychological standpoint, MS is preeminently a disorder of the patient's self or identity. Disorders of the process of normal adjustment, disorders of organization and control (including disorders of affect and of cognition), and disorders of personality functioning are considered in turn. Finally, the authors discuss a model for the role of comprehensive, inpatient rehabilitation team treatment in addressing MS-related neurobehavioral disorders.
