The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is connected to the spinal cord. The brain helps interpret information received from the spinal cord. Through the spinal cord signals are sent to the rest of body and back to the brain. Nerve cells (neurons) are found in the nervous system and they help communicate with other cells through electrical signals. Some of the nerve cells are coated with a myelin sheath. Myelinated neurons allow electrical signals to travel at a faster speed. When the myelinated part of the nerve cell is destroyed, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be the one to blame. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. The myelinated nerve cells get attacked which results in scars and lesions that destroy the myelin sheath. The reason for the body attacking its own nerve cells is unknown. Many believe that the cause of MS is from a virus, a deficiency in Vitamin D, or genetics. Studies are being done to find out what is the real cause of MS. …show more content…
The first MS symptom can happen between the ages of 20 and 40. The symptoms can be vision problems, muscle weakness in the legs and arms, difficulty with coordination, problems with memory, and many more symptoms that vary in each person. The severity and progression of the disease is different with each person. The symptoms can last weeks or months and some people may experience one symptom where as others can have a combination of symptoms. Many people that suffer from MS go through a period of relapsing-remitting, which is when there are acute attacks and then the recovery follows in a short period of
Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an autoimmune process that develops when a previous viral insult to the nervous system has occurred in a genetically susceptible individual. B lymphocytes, plasma cells, and activated T cells, along with proinflammatory cytokines, cause inflammation, oligodendrocyte injury and demyelination. Early inflammation and demyelination lead to irreversible axonal
One important thing to know about multiple sclerosis is that there are many different types. There are four, vaguely defined, types of MS: Relapsing- remitting, Primary-progressive, Secondary-progressive, and Progressive- relapsing (Dangond). Relapsing-remitting MS, most common, is when patients experience a series of attacks followed by the disappearance of symptoms. So, in this type, multiple sclerosis attacks and then goes in to remission until another attack occurs. Its alternates back and forth. Primary-progressive MS is when there is a continuous decline in a person’s physical abilities. Secondary-progressive is when relapses are rare but the patient accumulates more disability (Dangond). Lastly, we have progressive-relapsing which is the more complex type. It is very similar to primary-progressive MS but it includes small periods where the symptoms and disease become worse (Blackstone).
1. Main point 2: So now that I have talked about what MS is, let us continue on to what the symptoms are and how it can be diagnosed. In most cases, the symptoms generally appear between the ages of 20 and 40 and affect more than twice as many women as men. Common indicators of MS are fatigue, dizziness, numbness and tingling, weakness, blurred vision, heat sensitivity, slurred speech, problems with memory and concentration, loss of balance and more. Sometimes the symptoms disappear completely and the person regains lost functions or sometimes a change in their life causes the symptoms to resurface and return stronger than ever. In my observations, my Dads’ MS is strongest in hot weather and during times of high stress. The symptoms normally vary from person to person, which makes it hard to diagnose. There are currently no lab tests that can be done to rule out or confirm MS, but MRI’s can help reach a strong diagnosis. MS is not considered a fatal disease, but many people struggle to live as productively as they desire, often facing many limitations.
MS is usually occurs at age of 15 to 55 with the average onset at about 30 years of age. Women are twice more likely than men to develop this debilitating autoimmune disease (Love, 2006). Due to the heterogeneity of the disease, where it can affects many sites of the CNS such as the brain cortex, brainstem, spinal cord as well as the optic nerve, thus the clinical symptoms of MS are widely ranged.
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
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
Other symptoms include spasms. One spasm is known as the “drop foot.” A person could be casually walking and suddenly, his or her foot can basically shut down and drop. Spasms usually result in muscle stiffness and uncontrollable jerk-movements, according to Healthline Editorial Team, George Krucik, MD, MBA , Early Signs of Multiple Sclerosis, January 25, 2013. Another common symptom would be fatigue. This fatigue remains constant due to the deterioration of the central nervous system. With fatigue also comes muscle weakness, loss of motion and touch, which mostly occurs in the hands and legs. A few other symptoms include short-term memory loss, slurred speech,
The difference between having MS and not having it is that your body will not have scars or hardened tissues which effects the CNS. Affecting the CNS is massive as it is your brain and your spinal cord which makes all the decisions for your nervous system and without a fully functioning CNS, the person will have all the effects that was said in the previous paragraph (the effects of MS) which were things like not able to walk properly, numbness and the persons eyesight becoming
Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the myelin coating over the nerve receptors in your brain and spinal cord. Myelin is a fatty material that coats and protects the nerves in your brain. These nerves send signals to the rest of your body enabling
The most common Multiple Sclerosis symptoms are Fatigue, Numbness or Tingling, Dizziness, Slurred speech, Bladder problems, Bowel problems, Emotional changes, Cognitive changes, and Walking difficulties. It usually begin over a several days, but may also develop more slowly. MS can be mild or severe and may go away quickly or last for months. The disease is common to return, but it may get worse without periods of remission. Any Nerves that is part of the brain or the spinal cord can be damaged. Due to this, symptoms of MS may appear in any regions of the body. approximately 60 to 70% of people who has relapsing-remitting MS develops a steady progression of symptoms, with or without periods of
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, commonly referred to as MS, is an unpredictable disorder of the central nervous system, or CNS, and it is a chronic inflammatory disorder. MS is a disease that involves the immune system attacking the CNS. They myelin that covers and protects the nerve fibers is damaged, as well as the nerve fibers themselves. They myelin that is damaged forms scar tissue know as sclerosis. This is where the name of the disease came from. When the nerve fibers or myelin is damaged, the nerve fibers that travel to and from the spinal cord are distorted or interrupted this is why there is a variety of symptoms that can occur. Multiple Sclerosis affects rather young individuals, as young as twenty. It is most common in adults in their twenties
Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that is very painful for both the patient and care giver. In the disease, there is inflammation and neurodegeneration acting at the same time. There is currently no known primary cause of multiple sclerosis. The disease is however characterized by damaged fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and the spinal cord. Myelin is a mixture of proteins and phospholipids that protects many nerve fibers enabling speed at which impulses are conducted. It is pathologically characterized as the presence of glial scars all over in the central nervous system. The disease was discovered by the French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868 when he examined the brain
(1) One third of a million Americans suffer from MS and a great percentage of those people are women. Women account for 73% of MS sufferers. (2) MS usually strikes young adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. (8) There are even some cases of MS being diagnosed in childhood.
MS can cause debilitating pain that may leave with temporary symptoms or may be permanent (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2017). One third of all patients with MS will suffer from transient symptoms, rather than enduring (NIH, 2013). After 15 years on onset MS, 20 percent of patients are bedridden or institutionalized, and another 20 percent require assistance walking with a wheelchair or other aide (NIH, 2013).