preview

An Autoimmune Demyelinating Disorder ( Ms )

Decent Essays

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disorder it is characterized by inflammation and destruction of CNS myelin. It affects approximately 350,000 persons in the united states and more than 1 million worldwide (Porth,2014). The age of onset is typically between 18 and 45 years of age. Women are affected twice more frequently than men. Etiology is the cause or set of causes of a disease or condition. The cause of MS is unknown but it is likely that multiple factors are a cause for it. The first cause is immunologic. Multiple Sclerosis is considered an immune-mediated disease meaning the immune system malfunctions and attacks the central nervous system. Researchers know that the myelin sheath is directly affected, but they do not know what triggers the immune system to attack the myelin. The second possible cause is genetic, several genes play a role in MS. The chance of developing MS is slightly higher if a close relative, such as a parent or a sibling has the disease. According to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation if one parent has MS, the risk of their children getting it is estimated to be between two and five percent. Many scientist believe that people with MS are born with a genetic susceptibility to react to certain environmental agents. A third possible cause is environmental. Some scientists believe vitamin D may play a role. Studies show that there has been an increase of MS cases in countries that are located further from the equator; people who

Get Access