What is it?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a
chronic disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS: brain and spinal cord). It causes
inflammation and the destruction of
myelin. This “demyelination” process interferes with nerve impulse transmission, affects muscular control, and causes a variety of sensory, motor, and psychological symptoms. Damage to the myelin usually resolves with time and symptoms subside, but repeated attacks can lead to a continual process of demyelination and remyelination, which produces nerve fiber scarring and progressive disability.
Because MS can attack any area of the CNS, the signs and symptoms of MS are many and varied. They are associated with what the nerves in the affected area(s) are responsible for controlling. Sensory symptoms may include numbness, tingling, pain, burning, itching, facial pain, and visual disturbances. Motor symptoms may include speech impediments, weakness, tremor, difficulty walking, lack of coordination, constipation, and problems with the control of urination. Psychological symptoms may include mood swings, depression, and cognitive impairment. Fatigue occurs in up to 90% of patients, and about 60% are temperature-sensitive; their symptoms temporarily worsen with heat. The symptoms of MS may come and go, and their duration may last from days to months. Complete or partial remission of symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease, occurs in approximately 70 percent of patients.
The cause of MS is unknown. It is thought to be an autoimmune process triggered by a virus, environmental factors, and/or a genetic predisposition. Typically, MS first surfaces when patients are between 20 and 40 years of age. It affects women more frequently than men, is more common in Northern European Caucasians than other ethnic groups, and is seen in greater numbers in temperate climates than warm ones. MS affects about 400,000 people in the United States. The risk of developing this disease is estimated to be less than one tenth of one percent (1 in 1000) in the general population. In families with an affected member, the risk rises to 3%, and it is about 30% for the identical twin of an affected patient, strengthening the notion of a genetic cause.
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