Similarities and Differences amongst Multiple Sclerosis and Muscular Dystrophy

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).

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease of the central nervous system. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Both have nerve fibers that are wrapped in a myelin sheath. In MS, the myelin sheath becomes inflamed and gradually is destroyed. With the destruction of the myelin sheath comes an array of symptoms that may include numbness or tingling, balance problems, weakness, muscle spasms, and blurred vision.

Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is the most common out of nine types of muscular dystrophy. This genetic disorder causes progressive muscular weakness, and deterioration due to the lack of a protein called Dystrophin. This protein keeps the muscles in tack, so when it's missing, the muscles slowly break down. (MDA, 2015)

Multiple sclerosis is characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and axonal damage in the brain and spinal cord with a loss of myelin that covers the axons. As the myelin sheath regenerates, scar tissue forms, which looks like plaques on magnetic resonance imaging scans. Multiple sclerosis arises when immune-mediated inflammation activates T cells and causes the T cells and immune mediators to cross the blood-brain barriers into the CNS and attack oligodendrocytes (ie, a type of neuroglial cell with dendritic projections that coil around axons of neural cells). When the oligodendrocytes are attacked, the myelin sheath is replaced by scar tissue, which forms throughout the CNS. As a result of damage to the myelin sheath, the ability to transmit and conduct nerve impulses along the spinal cord and in the brain is interrupted, leading to muscle weakness, fatigue, loss of coordination, balance impairment, and cognitive and visual disturbance (DeLuca & Nocentini, 2011). This disease is characterized by unpredictable remissions that occur over several years. During periods of remission, the myelin sheath usually regenerates and symptoms may resolve, but the myelin cannot be completely repaired. As the disease progresses, the myelin sheath is destroyed and nerve impulses become much slower or absent and symptoms worsen. When degeneration exceeds self-repair ability, permanent disability results. There are four defined clinical types of

“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which your immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers your nerves” (Mayo Clinic). The immune system is a defensive system that protects your body from diseases and illnesses such as parasites and bacteria (Science Museum). Not only does your immune system defend the human body but also the immune system can work against the body, which is known as autoimmune disease. Since the immune system is working against your body to attack the myelin, this creates an opportunity for multiple sclerosis to invade the nerves in the central nervous system (CNS). The myelin within the body acts like insulation to protect and coat the nervous system (National Multiple Sclerosis Society). Once the myelin is eroded, the nerves become exposed which then causes signals to and from the brain to become distorted or irrupted causing a wide range of symptoms to occur (National Multiple Sclerosis Society). The effect of the myelin eroding is an irreversible process (Mayo Clinic). “The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (also referred to as DMD) is a type of muscular dystrophy that weakens the muscles that we need to support our body, body weight, to stand, and to move around. It also can cause you to have scoliosis. Some of the main causes for DMD are genetic disorders, mutations, and DMD has to be passed down throughout everyone in that family for generations. The symptoms you can have if you have DMD are weak muscles, lack of strength, and difficulty walking. DMD is a negative mutation because it affects your muscles horribly bad that you can get a disability of walking and even moving. You need to tell your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms. If you don't tell your doctor, you may find yourself in a very difficult situation where you can't get up or can't get something you need. When you do talk to your doctor, you will have an advantage of getting the help you need.

muscular dystrophy has many forms and therefore symptoms can vary between the variations. Overall symptoms include the weakening of skeletal muscles and the defect and death muscle tissues. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common and affects young boys such as Eddie.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a sex-linked disease, which is inherited in a recessive fashion (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2013). Over thirty similar genetic disorders exist (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). All types of muscular dystrophy are considered to be a rare disorder (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is most common in children and causes muscle weakness and wasting, which commonly begins in the lower limbs (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015; National Human Genome Research Institute, 2013). The disease itself is caused by changes to the DMD gene, which is responsible for providing instructions regarding the creation of the dystrophin protein in one’s muscles (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). This protein is responsible for protecting muscles from damage, and without it the cells of a person’s muscles deteriorate and symptoms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are exhibited (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). The disease results from changes in the DMD gene, or other genetic changes in a child (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015).

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease that pertains only to males caused by a defective gene and normally leads to many problems affecting a child’s leg movement. This disease got its name from the neurologist, Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne. He was a very consistent doctor who followed many patients medical records. He diagnosed one of his patients with muscular dystrophy and then the disease picked up his name, due to his founding.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an acquired demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that typically is diagnosed in the second or third decade of life. Normally, nerves are enclosed in myelin sheaths that help facilitate transmission of nerve impulses within the CNS and the peripheral nervous system throughout the body. In patients with MS, the myelin sheath is damaged and eventually degenerates, causing patches of scar tissue called plaques or lesions to occur anywhere randomly on the myelin sheath (Ruto, 2013). This results in impaired nerve conductivity, which interferes with message transmission between the brain and the other parts of the body. As a result, impulse transmission is altered, distorted, short-circuited, or completely absent. This interference in impulse transmission creates muscle weakness, muscle imbalance, and possibly muscle spasms with partial or complete paralysis. Multiple sclerosis also can result in visual impairment and alteration of cognitive abilities, as well as pain, numbness, or tingling sensations (Ruto, 2013).

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack myelin sheath causing neurological damage to areas of the brain and causes neurological deterioration. In the brain the myelin sheath is involved with what allows for communication between brain and the body. As the disease progresses the sheath deteriorates the neurons where the myelin sheath is found is damaged, causing a break or loss of information when the brain is trying to communicate with the brain. As the central nervous system (CNS) is deteriorating it causes permanent damage that is incurable. The symptoms are not as

Multiple sclerosis is a neuroinflammatory disease that affects myelin, a substance that makes up the myelin sheath, and wraps around nerve fibers or axons. Myelin is necessary for proper functioning of the nervous system. Myelinated axons are commonly called white matter. MS also damages nerve cell bodies which are found in gray matter, as well as the axons themselves in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. (4) As the disease makes progress the brain’s cortex shrinks. Multiple sclerosis refers to areas of scar tissue or plaques visible in the white matter of people who have the disease. The plaques can range from small to large. Plaques are the result of an inflammatory process that causes the immune system cells to attack the myelin. MS

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system and the disease functions by using the immune system to attack the body in the CNS targeting the nerve fibers. It focuses on the myelin sheath that covers the nerve fibers damaging them and scaring the fibers. This will cause a disruption of communication that is shared between the brain and the body and eventually will be permanent damage. This process is called demyelination. This disease is difficult to diagnose but if you start seeing signs and symptoms go to the doctor to get professional medical treatment or advice to slow down the process of

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that damages the myelin sheaths and nervous cells in the central nervous system. An autoimmune disease is when the body produces antibodies to attack its own tissues. Basically, myelin is a mixture of proteins and phospholipids forming a whitish insulating sheath around many nerve fibers, increasing the speed that impulses are sent. It is made by schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system. Multiple sclerosis attacks the oligodendrocytes and the myelin sheaths causing some very serious problems for people diagnosed with it. The disease affects motor, sensory, and autonomic nerves and has been seen to affect cognitive functions. Females are affected

Encyclopedia Britannica 2007. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 13 2007. Muscle disease: Muscle weakness, Classification of muscle weakness, and lower motor neuron disease>http://www.brittannica.com/eb/article-58886.