research multiple sclerosis. what is the effect of this disease on the nervous system? course hero

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How does multiple sclerosis affect the nervous system?

Dec 23, 2021 · MS is believed to be an autoimmune condition in which the immune system is excessively active and actually attacks the nervous system. The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system involved in MS. The CNS includes the brain and spinal cord. The nerves in the CNS communicate with each other through long, wire-like processes that have a …

What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Mar 08, 2022 · Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system. In MS the body’s immune system attacks myelin, which coats nerve cells. Symptoms of MS include muscle weakness (often in the hands and legs), tingling and burning sensations, numbness, chronic pain, coordination and balance problems, fatigue, vision problems, and difficulty with bladder control.

Why is multiple sclerosis considered an autoimmune disease?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which gives rise to focal lesions in the gray and white matter and to diffuse neurodegeneration in the entire brain. In this review, the spectrum of MS lesions and their relation to the inflammatory process is described.

What are the main features of multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by inflammation, demyelination, gliosis, and neuronal loss. Pathologically, perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates, and macrophages produce degradation of myelin sheaths that surround neurons.

What is the effect of multiple sclerosis on the nervous system?

Myelin damage and the nervous system In multiple sclerosis, the protective coating on nerve fibers (myelin) in the central nervous system is damaged. This creates a lesion that, depending on the location in the central nervous system, may cause symptoms such as numbness, pain or tingling in parts of the body.Jan 7, 2022

How is myelin in the nervous system affected by multiple sclerosis?

If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that causes your immune system to attack your central nervous system, your myelin sheaths can be damaged. That means your nerves won't be able to send and receive messages as they should.

Why does multiple sclerosis only affect the central nervous system?

Myelin is present in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS); however only the central nervous system is affected by MS. CNS myelin is produced by special cells called oligodendrocytes. PNS myelin is produced by Schwann cells.

How does multiple sclerosis affect neurons and their function?

Multiple sclerosis affects neurons, the cells of the brain and spinal cord that carry information, create thought and perception, and allow the brain to control the body. Surrounding and protecting some of these neurons is a fatty layer known as the myelin sheath, which helps neurons carry electrical signals.

What effect will the destruction of myelin have on the signaling capability of a neuron explain why this occurs?

If the myelin is destroyed, the action potential will move more slowly down the axon, because the entire axon now needs to depolarize, rather than just the nodes. In addition, because regions of the axon without voltage-gated channels are now not insulated by myelin, the ions can leak out.

What part of the brain is affected by multiple sclerosis?

MS produces damage in the more heavily myelinated regions of the brain, known as white matter. But MS has also been shown to affect the less myelinated regions closer to the surface of the brain, known as cortical grey matter. Damage to both white matter and grey matter structures are linked to cognitive impairment.Jun 9, 2020

Does MS affect the central or peripheral nervous system?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).Feb 4, 2020

How does MS affect the action potential?

In MS, the loss of myelin produces failure of axonal action-potential conduction that is associated with clinical exacerbations, but axonal conduction can recover as a result of expression of new sodium channels along demyelinated axons, providing a substrate for remission of clinical deficits (5).May 25, 2004

Which part of the nervous system connects the central nervous system to all parts of the body?

Spinal Cord This portion of the central nervous system runs down the inside of the spinal column, connecting the brain with nerves going to the rest of the body.

Does multiple sclerosis affect motor neurons?

MS is a CNS disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. It destroys the protective coating on the CNS nerves. This slows the relay of instructions from the brain to the body, making motor functions difficult.Mar 30, 2021

How does myelin affect the transmission of nerve impulses?

Myelin speeds up impulses By jumping from node to node, the impulse can travel much more quickly than if it had to travel along the entire length of the nerve fibre. Myelinated nerves can transmit a signal at speeds as high as 100 metres per second – as fast as a Formula One racing car.

How many people are affected by MS?

It generally strikes people ages 20 to 40 and more commonly affects women. It affects some 400,000 Americans, and about 2.5 million people worldwide . The most common form of the disease is called relapsing-remitting MS, in which symptoms come and go.

What is the best diet for MS?

Many people with MS try some form of complementary health approach, often special diets (such as the Swank diet, which is low in saturated fats and high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as fish oils) and dietary supplements.

What is the name of the disease that causes numbness in the legs and hands?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system. In MS the body’s immune system attacks myelin, which coats nerve cells. Symptoms of MS include muscle weakness (often in the hands and legs), tingling and burning sensations, numbness, chronic pain, coordination and balance problems, fatigue, vision problems, ...

Is vitamin D good for long term health?

Results of a large, 5-year study suggest that low blood levels of vitamin D may be a risk factor for long-term disease activity and progression. However, more studies need to be done to determine if taking vitamin D supplements is beneficial. Other Complementary Health Approaches.

What is MS in the brain?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which gives rise to focal lesions in the gray and white matter and to diffuse neurodegeneration in the entire brain. In this review, the spectrum of MS lesions and their relation to the infla ….

Is MS a neurodegenerative disease?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which gives rise to focal lesions in the gray and white matter and to diffuse neurodegeneration in the entire brain. In this review, the spectrum of MS lesions and their relation to the inflammatory process is described.

What is MS in the CNS?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by inflammation, demyelination, gliosis, and neuronal loss. Pathologically, perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates, and macrophages produce degradation of myelin sheaths that surround neurons. Neurological symptoms vary ...

What is MS in medical terms?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by inflammation, demyelination, gliosis, and neuronal loss.

What are the symptoms of MS?

Early MS symptoms often include: Vision problems such as blurred or double vision, or optic neuritis, which causes pain with eye movement and a rapid loss of vision. Muscle weakness, often in the hands and legs, and muscle stiffness accompanied by painful muscle spasms.

How long does it take for MS to recover?

It usually begins as a sudden onset of lower back pain, muscle weakness, abnormal sensations in the toes and feet, or difficulties with bladder control or bowel movements. This can rapidly progress to more severe symptoms, including arm and/or leg paralysis. In most cases, people recover at least some function within the first 12 weeks after an attack begins.

What is the outer layer of the brain called?

As the disease progresses, the outermost layer of the brain, called the cerebral cortex, shrinks (what is known as cortical atrophy). The term multiple sclerosis refers to the distinctive areas of scar tissue (sclerosis—also called plaques or lesions) that result from the attack on myelin by the immune system.

When does MS start?

What is Multiple Sclerosis? Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling neurological disease of young adults with symptom onset generally occurring between the ages of 20 to 40 years.

What is the white matter of the brain?

MS attacks axons in the central nervous system protected by myelin, which are commonly called white matter. MS also damages the nerve cell bodies, which are found in the brain’s gray matter, as well as the axons themselves in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves that transmit visual information from the eye to the brain. As the disease progresses, the outermost layer of the brain, called the cerebral cortex, shrinks (what is known as cortical atrophy).

How long does MS relapse last?

An exacerbation—which is also called a relapse, flare-up, or attack—is a sudden worsening of MS symptoms, or the appearance of new symptoms that lasts for at least 24 hours. MS relapses are thought to be associated with the development of new areas of damage in the brain.

Can MS cause paralysis?

Muscle weakness, stiffness, and spasms may be severe enough to affect walking or standing. In some cases, MS leads to partial or complete paralysis and the use of a wheelchair is not uncommon, particularly in individuals who are untreated or have advanced disease.

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Overview

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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). In MS, the immune system attacks and damages or destroys the myelin, a substance that surrounds and insulates the nerves. The myelin destruction causes a distortion o…
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  • Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease of the nervous system that can affect the brain and spinal cord. MS symptoms are caused by the progressive loss of myelin, the outer protective lining of nerve fibers. Myelin is like the coating around an electrical wire: Without enough myelin, nerve signals have trouble passing through the nerves. The full cause of MS is not completely underst…
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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disorder that wears away at the coverings that protect the nerve cells. Affecting about 2.5 million people around the world, MS gradually weakens bodily function by attacking the cells of the brain and spinal column.
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Research

  • The results of this study show that siponimod can delay disability progression in typical established SPMS patients, where other approaches tested so far have been unsuccessful, Dr. Ludwig Kappos, a professor at University Hospital of Basel in Switzerland and the principal study investigator, said in a statement. These data are all the more impressive when considering that t…
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  • In 2018, the FDA approved the use of ocrelizumab to treat both relapsing-remitting and primary-progressive MS. In clinical trials, it was shown to significantly slow disease progression in both forms. In MS patients, B-cells (a type of white blood cell) have been shown to accumulate in lesions, or areas of scarring. The drug, which is an antibody, targets and destroys specific types …
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Signs And Symptoms

  • Classic MS signs and symptoms are as follows: 1. Sensory loss (ie, paresthesias): Usually an early complaint 2. Spinal cord symptoms (motor): Muscle cramping secondary to spasticity 3. Spinal cord symptoms (autonomic): Bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction 4. Cerebellar symptoms: Charcot triad of dysarthria (scanning speech), nystagmus, and intention tremor 5. Optic neuritis …
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  • Symptoms of multiple sclerosis may be single or multiple and may range from mild to severe in intensity and from short to long in duration.
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  • MS varies from person to person so there is no ‘standard’ set of symptoms for MS. However we know that common symptoms of MS include numbness or tingling in various parts of the body, weakness of one or more parts of the body, walking difficulties, dizziness, fatigue, visual blurring, and occasionally double vision.Patients may also have a symptom called Lhermitte’s phenomen…
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  • Initial symptoms of MS may be brief and mild and usually first occur in people between the ages of 20 and 40. Each MS patient has a unique set of symptoms, depending on where in the brain the destruction of myelin occurs. Some patients are most affected by severe fatigue while others complain of blurred vision and loss of balance. Still others may suffer most profoundly due to lo…
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Diagnosis

  • There are no specific tests for MS. Instead, a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis often relies on ruling out other conditions that might produce similar signs and symptoms, known as a differential diagnosis.Your doctor is likely to start with a thorough medical history and examination.Your doctor may then recommend: 1. Blood tests, to help rule out other diseases with symptoms simi…
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  • MS is diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings and supporting evidence from ancillary tests. Tests include the following: 1. Magnetic resonance imaging: The imaging procedure of choice for confirming MS and monitoring disease progression in the CNS 2. Evoked potentials: Used to identify subclinical lesions; results are not specific for MS 3. Lumbar puncture: May be useful if …
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  • 1. Hereditary spastic paraplegia: mimics familial MS; other inherited diseases can also appear as MS. 2. Cerebral variant of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can present with features of MS without other clinical manifestations of SLE. 3. Sarcoidosis. 4. In patients of African or Asian origin, alternative diagnoses should be considered - eg, AIDs, tropical spastic paraplegia or neur…
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  • Multiple sclerosis is often difficult to diagnose as symptoms are so varied and can resemble other diseases. It is often diagnosed by a process of exclusion that is, by ruling out other neurological diseases so the diagnosis of MS may take months to years. A physician will do a complete history and neurological exam, along with tests to evaluate mental, emotional and language functions, s…
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Treatment

  • There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. Treatment typically focuses on speeding recovery from attacks, slowing the progression of the disease and managing MS symptoms. Some people have such mild symptoms that no treatment is necessary.
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  • The Mellen Center staff believes in developing lifetime partnerships with its patients.At the Mellen Center, patients may meet with one or more members of the care team, depending on individual needs. On the first visit, patients typically meet with a neurologist, who is primarily responsible for managing the patient’s medical care. At future visits, patients will also meet with a clinical nurse …
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  • There is no cure for MS at the present time. The goal in treating MS is to limit the destruction of myelin, which typically requires suppression of the body's immune system. If you are diagnosed with MS, your doctor may prescribe pharmaceutical therapies that achieve this and address your related symptoms. However, some people with MS lead healthy lives without any treatment at al…
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  • There was a time when doctors could only treat severe MS symptoms with steroids, and then hope for the best. Now, however, promising medical advances are available. \"If I have to say one thing about MS, it is that it is treatable, said Wilson. Gone are the days when we had to stand by and watch the disease progress without being able to treat it. There are a number of medication…
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Prognosis

  • If you smoke and you have clinically isolated syndrome -- a first instance of MS symptoms that lasts for about 24 hours -- you have a greater chance of a second episode and an MS diagnosis.
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  • 1. Patients may spend many years in each of these phases or quickly progress to one of fixed progressive disability. Approximately 25% of patients have a non-disabling form of MS. 5% of patients have frequently recurring relapses without recovery, rapidly causing disability and early death. Up to 15% of patients are severely disabled within a short period. 2. Episodes occur initial…
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  • Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PP-MS) is characterized by steady worsening of neurologic functioning, without any relapses or remissions. There may be occasional plateaus, but overall the progression of the disability is continuous. This form of MS occurs equally in men and women, and the age of onset is about 10 years later than in relapsing-remitting MS. Secondary-p…
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  • When an individual has experienced only a single episode or MS-like attack involving neurologic damage, that individual is said to have clinically-isolated syndrome (CIS). In an individual with CIS, it may take months or years for another episode to happen and a confirmed diagnosis of MS to be made. However, a person with CIS may never develop MS.
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Epidemiology

  • MS is more likely to affect people who live in certain places and belong to specific ethnic groups. Its especially common in cooler climates like Scotland, Scandinavia, and throughout northern Europe -- places that are farther from the equator. People who live close to the equator are least likely to get it. In the U.S., it affects white people more than other racial groups.
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  • 1. The global distribution of MS can be generalised as increasing with distance north or south of the equator but that summary conceals many places with disproportionately high or low frequencies. Caucasians have the highest risk. 2. The prevalence of MS recorded in the UK from 1990 to 2010 increased by about 2.4% per year, reaching 285.8 per 100 000 in women and 113.…
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  • Multiple sclerosis is estimated to affect 2.3 million people worldwide. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 50, though it can also occur in young children and the elderly. Multiple sclerosis is three times more common in women than in men. In addition, nearly all women afflicted with MS get the condition before menopause. This could mean that hormones play an i…
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  • MS is more common in people who live further away from the equator. The reason for this is not clear, but decreased sunlight exposure has been linked with a higher risk of MS and there is growing evidence that a lack of vitamin D is linked to increasing prevalence in a range of conditions including MS. As we get most of our vitamin D through exposure to sunlight, low sun …
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Causes

  • Doctors still don't understand what causes multiple sclerosis. But ongoing research shows that from your genes, to where you live, to the air you breathe, there are many factors in play. MS is an autoimmune condition. Doctors dont know why, but something tells your immune system to attack your body. With MS, the focus is on myelin, a fatty substance that covers the nerve fibers …
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  • The exact cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown, but it is believed to be some combination of immunologic, environmental, infectious, or genetic factors. Researchers are examining the possible role of viruses in the cause of MS, but this is still unproven. A range of scientific disciplines are being employed to find the cause of MS. Immunologists, epidemiologists and ge…
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  • In MS, the immune system, which normally helps to fight off infections, mistakes myelin for a foreign body and attacks it. Researchers do not know what triggers the immune system to attack myelin, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. MS is not thought to be a hereditary disease. However, the risk of getting MS is higher in relatives of a per…
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  • Doctors think MS is caused by a combination of factors. \"Part of the cause is genetic, but there must also be some environmental factors that trigger the disease,\" said Matthew McCoyd, MD, a neurologist, assistant professor, and associate neurology residency program director with the Loyola University Health System in Illinois. Possible MS triggers may include things like decreas…
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Pathophysiology

  • In multiple sclerosis, the immune system's T cells attack the myelin sheath. By attacking myelin, the immune system in a person with MS causes inflammation and degeneration of the myelin that can lead to demyelination, or stripping of the myelin covering of the nerves. It can also cause scarring (the sclerosis in the name multiple sclerosis). This causes electrical impulses to travel …
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  • Inflammatory attacks can cause lesions anywhere in the CNS, however patients with RRMS tend to have more brain lesions than spinal cord lesions. With PPMS, lesions are more common on the spinal cord and these lesions contain fewer inflammatory cells. With SPMS (to which most patients with RRMS eventually transition), the disease involves less inflammation and more loss …
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  • A constant tingling and numbness often resides in the face and extremities (i.e., the legs, arms, and fingers) of those with MS due to nerve cell damage to the brain and spinal column. This numbness is often linked to the fact that multiple sclerosis strikes the brain and spinal column (the bodys message center).
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  • Early in the disease course, MS involves recurrent bouts of CNS inflammation that results in damage to both the myelin sheath surrounding axons as well as the axons themselves. Histologic examination reveals foci of severe demyelination, decreased axonal and oligodendrocyte numbers, and glial scarring. The exact cause of inflammation remains unclear, but an autoimmu…
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Management

  • Treatment of MS has 2 aspects: immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) for the underlying immune disorder and therapies to relieve or modify symptoms.Treatment of acute relapses is as follows: 1. Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) can hasten recovery from an acute exacerbation of MS 2. Plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) can be used short term for severe attacks if steroids are co…
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  • The management of people with MS should include: 1. Good communication with patients and their carers. 2. Provision of written information regarding the disease, treatments and available help and support. 3. Informing them of their legal obligation to notify the DVLA of their condition. 4. Ensuring all available help and support with rehabilitation, employment and mobility. 5. Encou…
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  • Management work as immunosuppressants and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce CNS swelling. There are numerous medications available in assisting acute attacks, disease progression, and to help manage symptoms . 1. Prednisone: Typically, a high dose of a corticosteroid, such as - methylprednisolone is the first line of treatment against an attack of MS. Corticosteroids help t…
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  • Steroid drugs are still used to treat MS relapse symptoms, but the big advance in MS treatment over the past 20 years has been a category of medication called disease-modifying drugs. These drugs are started as soon as possible after diagnosis to prevent MS progression. Medications called interferons, given by injection, prevent immune cells from getting into the brain and the sp…
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