Approximately 50-65% of the 9,000 people in Ireland living with MS have difficulties with cognition – including memory, attention and even problem-solving. These difficulties can impact their daily lives and its quality, from childcare and work, to social and self-care activities. Despite such high numbers of people with MS who experience these cognitive difficulties, there is a lack of research on programs designed to lessen such difficulties and their wide-ranging effects, while also supporting patients through helping them in their everyday lives.

The Cognitive Occupation-Based program for people with Multiple Sclerosis (COB-MS) was developed with a holistic focus on rehabilitation in MS, through an individualised cognitive intervention, measured by and taught through an occupational participation perspective; in order to address the wide-ranging symptoms and functional difficulties that present in MS. These include the ability to maintain: employment, social activities, managing the home and self-care. Simply, COB-MS is a non-pharmacological treatment for cognition of people with MS that focuses on the aspects of their own daily life that are important to them. The aim of the COB-MS research program is to evaluate both its feasibility and the preliminary effects on cognitive and daily functioning for people with MS.