Genetic Disorders: Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease, in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. The disease destroys the myelin, which is the insulation that protects the nerve fibers in the spinal cord, and brain (Niino, 2008). When the myelin is damaged, the message that is traveling along that nerve may be slowed or blocked. Symptoms vary by patient, but often include: numbness or weakness in limbs, partial or complete loss of vision, lack of coordination or unsteady gait, slurred speech, fatigue, dizziness, and problems with bowel and bladder functions.

(National MS Society) (Mayo Clinic) Myelin is the fatty substance that surrounds and insulated the nerve fibers. (National MS Society) Multiple Sclerosis is also know to be an immune-mediated process that sends abnormal responses of the body’s immune system that is directed again the Central Nervous System (CNS). Myelin is compared to the insulation on electrical wires. (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) The Central Nervous System is made up of the optic nerves, brain and spinal cord. The exact antigen – or target that the immune cells are sensitized to attack remains unknown. (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) In Multiple Sclerosis immune system There is yet to be any reason as to what causes MS. Scientist believe the disease is triggered by but not yet identified by environmental factors in a person who is genetically predisposed to respond. (National MS Society) Some researchers say that it is an autoimmune disease. There is no cure for MS, but there are treatments that can help you recovery and minimize your attacks, and modify the diseases course. (Mayo Clinic)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic disease that affects the Central Nervous System (CNS) through cellular immune response and the demyelination of CNS white matter (McCance et al., 2014, pp. 630–633). The initial causes of MS are unknown however, it is believed that it could possibly be due to an immune response to an initiating infection or an autoimmune response to CNS antigens on the myelin itself (Brück, 2005) (Miljković and Spasojević, 2013). MS is a result of the degradation of the myelin sheath surrounding neurons and therefore disrupts the transmission of action potentials along these cells. MS can display itself in the form of symptoms ranging from muscle weakness to trouble with sensation and coordination (NHS, 2016). The degradation of myelin leads the body to attempt to remyelinate the neurons, a process that in turn leads to the thickening of the cell by glial cells and this causes lesions to form (Chari, 2007). It is this thickening (sclerae) from which the disease gets its name. Sufferers of MS can either have a relapsing type of MS, in which there are episodes that lead to the worsening of symptoms for a period of time, or a progressive type of MS where symptoms gradually progress and worsen (McCance et al., 2014, pp. 630–633).

Most MS patients start with the development of transient sensory loss due to the demyelination of the dorsal column, which may progress to motor symptoms including limb muscles weakness or muscle spasticity due the demyelinationg of the upper motor fibres such as corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts. Leg

There are three different versions of multiple sclerosis (“What is MS?”). The least severe being relapsing-remitting; this occurs when a person has an attack and then there are no further

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS affects approximately 3.0 million people globally, with about 300,000 cases in the United States. Twice as many women as men have MS. The average ages for onset of MS is 20-40 years. In MS, cells in the immune system attack and destroy myelin, the fatty tissue surrounding nerve cells (http://www.phylomed.com/MS.html). Scar tissue replaces the myelin, interfering with the transmission of nerve signals and leading to numbness, fatigue, spasticity, loss of muscle control, and various other debilitating symptoms. There are four broad theories

     The course of the disease is also uncertain. In general, though, the disease follows several known patterns. These patterns are grouped under the heading “chronic progressive MS.” Relapsing-remitting MS is a form of MS in which patients experience series of actively symptomatic periods called attacks followed by remissions. Secondary-progressive MS begins after RRMS. This disease advances progressively, marked by acute attacks. Primary-progressive MS is marked by a gradual worsening of symptoms, but the attacks are not acute. Patients may have temporary

Multiple Sclerosis and Guillain-Barré Syndrome are two autoimmune disorders of the nervous system that occur when the myelin sheath surrounding the axons of a nerve degenerate. Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the central nervous system while Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) involves the peripheral nervous system.1,2 MS is a gradually regressing disease that usually occurs in one of four ways. The first is relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and is the most common. Patients typically experience relapses where the symptoms are aggravated and enhanced followed by episodes of remissions during which the symptoms cease or calm down. 3 The second type is called secondary-progressive MS (SPMS). This type mimics RRMS but undergoes a steadier decline that may or may not include relapses3. The third type is primary-progressive MS (PPMS) where the disease progresses at a more regular rate from onset. PPMS, however, may speed up, slow down, or even plateau for a bit, but no remissions are present.3 Lastly, progressive-relapsing MS (PRMS), the least common type, presents similarly to PPMS in that the decline is steady, but this type of MS has exacerbations that the patient may or may not recover from.3 Unlike MS, Guillain-Barré does not present in types and characteristically attacks more rapidly.2 It is a poorly understood disease, however, research has shown that it is generally preceded by a bacterial or viral infection.4

Multiple Sclerosis, commonly known as MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Scientists have been studying MS since the 19th century. In MS, the body’s immune system produces cells and antibodies that attack myelin in your brain which is essential for the nerves in your brain and spinal cord to conduct electricity to perform its function. The attack on myelin results in vison loss, paralysis, numbness, muscle weakness, difficulty walking, stiffness, spasms, and bladder and bowel problems. MS has varying degrees of severity and affects people between the ages of 20-50, mostly women. Although there are treatments, there is no cause and cure yet.

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system targets the central nervous system (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2016). The central nervous system is mainly made up by the brain, nerves, spinal cord, and optic nerves (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2016). The main target in MS is myelin, the substance that protects the nerve fibers within the central nervous system (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2016).

The last type of MS is Progression-relapsing (PRMS). This is the least common type of MS. Just like PPMS this type is also characterized by the gradual worsening of symptoms over the course of time. Patients will also experience relapses and remissions. Unlike RRMS, people with this type of MS do not usually regain complete functioning after a symptom relapse.

Multiple Sclerosis is a nervous system disease that disturbs the brain and spinal cord (Rolak,2005). Initially affects the myelin sheath, the material that covers and protects your nerve cells. Multiple Sclerosis causes demyelination (Rolak,2005). The nerve damage is caused by inflammation (Rolak,2005). Inflammation occurs when the body’s own immune cells attack the nervous system (Rolak,2005). This can happen in any area of the brain, optic nerve, or spinal cord (Rolak,2005). It is unknown what exactly causes Multiple Sclerosis (Rolak,2005). It is considered to be a virus and environmental factors may also play a role (Rolak,2005). A person’s immune cells begins to attack the central nervous system and degenerate (Rolak,2005).

It is also important to note that there are four different disease courses that have been identified in multiple sclerosis. Although nerve damage is always involved with MS, the pattern is unique for each individual. The four different types of Multiple Sclerosis include Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS), Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS), Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS), and Progressive Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (PRMS). The most common disease course is RRMS. This is characterized by distinct attacks of deteriorating neurological function. These attacks or also known as relapses, flare-ups or exacerbation are followed by partial or complete recovery periods in which symptoms will then improve partially or completely and there is no apparent progression of the disease. There are approximately 85 percent of people with MS who are initially diagnosed with RRMS and most people with this type will experience symptoms in their early 20s. The second type is PPMS, which is characterized by steadily deteriorating neurological function from the beginning. There

The second stage/type is called relapsing-remitting stage and this is the most common stage, in the RRMS stage you are able to define the attacks or symptoms and you have lots of relapses, but the symptoms may disappear at the same time. The third stage/type is Primary Progressive MS in this stage the neurological functions start to worsen but only 15% of those that are diagnosed with this kind have this certain type of MS and you have even more symptoms showing.  The fourth and final stage is called secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) and this is what you would call the “worst stage” because the neurological damage is so bad and the symptoms just worsen (What is

These symptoms include Bladder problems; about 8 in 10 people with multiple sclerosis have bladder problems( “Multiple Sclerosis”, n.d). Other secondary symptoms include: decrease bone density, insufficient breathing, poor postural alignment and truck control are also secondary symptoms of MS. These symptoms are usually treated by avoiding the primary symptoms. The last and the tertiary symptoms usually referred as “trickle down” effects of the multiple sclerosis on people’s lives (“Multiple Sclerosis”, n.d). These symptoms include social, occupational and psychological complications. The stress and strain of dealing with MS often alters social networks and sometimes fractures