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Autoimmune Disorders: Multiple Sclerosis

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Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder which is characterized by multiple areas of scarring to nerve fibers of the CNS. It often affects people between 20 to 40 years. Currently there are about 1.1 million people suffering from multiple sclerosis. Like most of the autoimmune diseases females are more affected than males in this disease. Multiple Sclerosis effects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The disease commences with a discrete attack known as CIS (clinically isolated syndrome), which may attack any area of the CNS but mostly attacks either the brain stem, optic nerve or spinal cord.

The main cause of MS is yet to be known, researchers have suggested that MS is a demyelinating disease. Here myelin gets degenerated. Myelin is a material which is composed of fats and provides insulation for the nerves. This insulation of fat contributes in transmission of impulses with very high speed, allowing people to move almost without thinking. Therefore, when this myelin sheath is not present it cause a short circuiting like case and the person cannot move rapidly, smoothly and coordinate movements. According to researchers the immune system mistakes the myelin as a foreign body and attacks to destroy this myelin. It is not known yet what triggers the immune system but it is thought to be a combination of many factors. Among a few theories a virus that lies dormant in the body plays a major role in the causing of this disease by disturbing the immune system or indirectly contribute to the autoimmunity. Another one of the theories also says that it is not because of any specific virus but a common virus like herpes or measles which activates the …show more content…

Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis
3.Secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis which the most common type
4.Progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis
SYMPTOMS
• Initially MS shows vague symptoms like vision problems, swallowing, speech, cognitive

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