|
| |
|
Multiple Sclerosis, or MS affects about 85,000 people in the UK. The first signs of MS appear at the between the ages of 20 to 40 and usually affects twice as many women as men. The causes of MS are still a mystery, but neither hereditary nor environmental factors have been ruled out. It is possible that disruptions in the immune system could be the cause.
MS is an inflammatory disease that afflicts the central nervous system, the brain and the spinal cord.
The neural paths in the central nervous system are similar to electrical wiring. MS affects multiple areas of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and optical nerve). The insulating layer surrounding the nerves (myelin) is lost, leaving scar tissues called sclerosis. These damaged areas are also known as plaques or lesions, and they slow down the nerve impulses.
The symptoms of MS are quite varied depending on where in the central nervous system the plaques or lesions form.
This disease often comes in waves, known as attacks in which the symptoms become worse or new symptoms appear. Between attacks, the symptoms can improve or remain constant. A first sign is often an inflammation of the eye nerve.
One in four people with MS suffer no, or only mild permanent disability.
|
|
|
|
|