What are the Causes Symptoms and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic debilitating immune-mediated disease that affects the myelin sheath of the nervous system. It is a very prevalent disease affecting about 400,000 Americans annually. The symptoms depend on the types of nerves affected. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. The myelin sheath are supporting structures that help in transmitting information to and from the brain. Women are more affected than men in the ratio 2 to 1.
In multiple sclerosis, the myelin is damaged by the immune system, forming a plaque or lesion (an area representing the absence of myelin). The lesion created by the damaged myelin leads to interruption of electric signals in the brain. This sudden disruption in the electrical activity in the brain is responsible for the numerous symptoms experienced in multiple sclerosis. The damaged myelin forms scars (sclerosis) after a prolonged period.
Clinically Isolated syndrome (CIS) is a course of multiple sclerosis characterized by demyelination induced neurological symptoms that last for about 24 hours. It is often the first neurological symptoms experienced by multiple sclerosis patients.