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Autoimmune Diseases Pertain To The Immune System

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Autoimmune diseases pertain to the immune system, and the body’s immune system will treat natural parts of the body such as organs or tissues as pathogens and will actively break them down. Multiple Sclerosis specifically is considered an immune mediated process, not a true autoimmune disease. This is due to the fact that a proper immune response to a pathogen is occurring, however the specific antigen that the immune response is targeting has not yet been determined. Multiple Sclerosis mainly affects the brain and spinal cord, or the Central Nervous System. Within the Central Nervous System, or CNS, the structures mostly affected by this disease would be the myelin and the nerves it protects. If the myelin is damaged, then scar tissue will form. …show more content…

These interruptions of the nerve impulses can cause a whole list of symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, or vision problems. (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2017) In general, there are four types of Multiple Sclerosis: Clinically Isolated Syndrome, Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, and Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Clinically Isolated Syndrome, or CIS, is characterized by 24 hour minimum episode of inflammation and demyelination in the CNS. Those who have suffered from this do not necessarily go on to fully develop Multiple

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