A chronic, potentially debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system relating to scarring of the myelin sheaths surrounding the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
A CNS disease that decreases myelin, a sheath on the nerve fibers that is key to fast nerve transmission, thereby disrupting electrical impulses to and from the brain.
Disorder of the central nervous system caused by a destruction of the myelin around axons in the brain and spinal cord that leads to various neurological symptoms.
A group of diseases in which the myelin sheath of nerves is destroyed and replaced with scar tissue.
A nervous disease which gets progressively worse, where patches of the fibres of the central nervous system lose their myelin, causing numbness in the limbs and progressive weakness and paralysis.
A chronic disease characterized by demyelination of nerve fibers with accompanying motor and sensory deficits.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The disease was first described by Jean Martin Charcot, a 19th-century neurologist. Early in the disease, inflammation and edema occur. In the later stages, scarring occurs, and plaques are formed, especially around the lateral ventricles. The multiple patchy lesions destroy the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells, thereby disrupting neural transmission.
A disorder in which myelin, the fatty substance protecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, is damaged or partly destroyed and replaced by scar tissue (sclerosis). This process gradually disrupts communications in the nervous system. Symptoms vary widely, depending on what parts of the body are most affected and how severely, but they can include tingling sensations, numbness, muscle weakness (paresis), muscle cramps, lack of coordination, paralysis, blurred or double vision, abnormal fatigue, confusion, forget fulness, incontinence (difficulty in controlling bladder and bowels), and impaired sexual function. The disorder is also highly variable. Some people may have a single attack, with no recurrence afterward. Some other people have periods when the disease is active, called exacerbations, and times when they are free of symptoms, called remissions. In still others, the disease is chronic and progressive, becoming increasingly severe.
Progressive disease in which nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord lose their myelin cover. It begins usually in early adulthood and progresses slowly with periods of remission and exacerbation. Early symptoms of abnormal sensations in the face or extremities, weakness, and visual disturbances (e.g., double vision) progress to ataxia, abnormal reflexes, tremors, difficulty in urination, emotional instability, and difficulty in walking, leading to increasing disability. There is no specific treatment; corticosteroids and other drugs are used to treat symptoms. Also called disseminated multiple sclerosis.
Disease of the central nervous system characterized by the demyelination and deterioration of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers with episodes of neurological dysfunction (exacerbation) followed by recovery (remission).
A progressive disease in which hard, gray patches (scleroses) form on the nerve coverings in the brain and spinal cord, gradually disrupting transmission of nerve impulses. The disease progresses unevenly, and remissions, during which the patient appears to improve, are common. As the disease advances, activities such as walking become increasingly difficult.
Also known as MS, a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. The symptoms of MS range from mild (such as numbness in the limbs) to severe (including paralysis and loss of vision). The disease is twice as common in women as in men.
A chronic disease of the nervous system affecting young and middle-aged adults. The ‘myelin sheaths surrounding nerves in the brain and spinal cord are damaged, which affects the function of the nerves involved. The course of the illness is characterized by recurrent relapses followed by remissions. The disease affects different parts of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in typically scattered symptoms. These include unsteady gait and shaky movements of the limbs (ataxia), rapid involuntary movements of the eyes (nystagmus), defects in speech pronunciation (dysarthria), spastic weakness, and ‘retrobulbar neuritis. The underlying cause of the nerve damage remains unknown but evidence points to the patient’s abnormal response to a viral infection.
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease of the brain and spinal cord, which, although slow in its onset, may in time produce marked symptoms such as paralysis and tremors, and may ultimately result in severe disability. The disorder consists of hardened patches, from the size of a pin-head to that of a pea or larger, scattered at random through the brain and spinal cord as well as widespread damage to axons, the long processes leading from neurons (nerve cells). Each patch is made up of a mass of the connective tissue (neuroglia), which should be present only in sufficient amount to bind the nerve-cells and fibres together. In the earliest stage, the insulating sheaths (myelin) of the nerve-fibres in the hardened patches break up, are absorbed, and leave the nerve-fibres bare, the connective tissue being later formed between these.
A chronic disease of the central nervous system, in which there is destruction of myelin within several regions of the brain and spinal cord at different times. This results in temporary, repetitive, or sustained disruptions in nerve impulse conduction, causing symptoms such as muscular weakness, loss of coordination, numbness, visual disturbances, loss of control of bowel, bladder, and sexual functions. The clinical picture in MS depends upon the extent of demyelination. Multiple sclerosis is a relatively common disorder: more than 400,000 Americans are affected, of whom the majority (about 390,000) are adults. Multiple sclerosis usually begins between ages 20 and 40; women are twice as likely to have the disease as men, and European-Americans are more likely to be affected than African-Americans or Asian-Americans. Four main categories of MS are currently recognized. The benign variant is marked by several episodes of nervous system dysfunction, followed by complete recovery. The primary progressive variant is marked by rapid loss of neurological functions that do not resolve, causing severe functional impairments that worsen over time. More common than either of these types of MS are the two relapsing-remitting variants. In patients with these disorders, neurological deficits develop and then improve either completely or partially. In patients who achieve only partial restoration of neurological function, secondary progression of the disease may result in a gradual accumulation of visual, motor, or sensory disabilities.
An autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly attacks myelin, the fatty insulation on nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
A progressive condition in which patches of myelin are slowly destroyed, resulting in difficulty with muscular control, speech and vision problems, and sometimes paralysis.
Multiple sclerosis is a medical condition characterized by the degeneration of the protective layer, known as the myelin sheath, surrounding the nerve fibers found in the brain and spinal cord. This disease leads to the disruption of proper nerve signal transmission, resulting in various neurological symptoms and impairments.
A gradually advancing ailment that affects the central nervous system, wherein regions of myelin (the protective layer around nerve fibers) in the brain and spinal cord become disrupted. These impaired areas are termed plaques. As a result, nerve fibers are unable to transmit electrical signals, which can lead to the loss of functions like movement and sensation. Any portion of the central nervous system can be impacted by this condition.
Genetic susceptibility could play a role as multiple sclerosis (MS) occasionally exhibits familial patterns. Additionally, environmental factors might contribute. The prevalence of MS is higher in temperate regions compared to tropical areas.
MS typically emerges between the ages of 20 and 45, and it is more prevalent among women. The symptoms vary based on the specific region of the brain or spinal cord affected during an episode. Harm to the spinal cord can lead to sensations of tingling, numbness, limb weakness, spasticity, paralysis, and loss of bladder control. When white matter (nerve fibers with myelin) in the brain sustains damage, it can result in fatigue, dizziness, coordination difficulties, muscle weakness, speech difficulties, blurred vision, facial numbness, or facial pain.
An episode can persist for multiple weeks or months. Subsequently, a variable duration of remission follows, marked by notable enhancements. Following this remission phase, there can be another attack or relapse. The majority of individuals experience mild relapses and extended periods of remission, referred to as relapsing-remitting MS, with only a few enduring lasting effects. In contrast, some individuals develop a variant known as chronic-progressive MS, where disability increases gradually from the initial attack. A small number experience a form termed fulminant MS, which swiftly advances during the first year of the condition.
A solitary diagnostic test does not exist, but through MRI, potential damage to the brain’s white matter can be observed. In addition, a lumbar puncture might indicate abnormal proteins within the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Evoked response tests conducted on the eyes could uncover interruptions in the nerve pathways stemming from the optic nerves.
No precise treatment exists. A brief regimen of corticosteroid medications might alleviate the intensity of relapses, and beta interferon could extend the intervals between attacks. Nonetheless, these drugs do not enhance the overall prognosis. The incorporation of rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy is crucial to enable individuals to conduct their daily tasks with greater ease.
Many individuals explore treatments like sunflower seed oil, adopting a gluten-free diet, undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or receiving different vaccines. However, up to now, there’s no proven evidence that these approaches are effective.
Areas of hardening that emerge in various sections of the nervous system. The main symptoms include fragmented speech, nystagmus, muscle weakness, and arm and leg tremors when attempting voluntary movements.