Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a life-long chronic disease diagnosed primarily
in young adults. During an MS attack, inflammation occurs in areas of the
white matter of the central nervous system (nerve fibers that are the site
of MS lesions) in random patches called plaques. This process is followed
by destruction of myelin, which insulates nerve cell fibers in the brain
and spinal cord. Myelin facilitates the smooth, high-speed transmission of
electrochemical messages between the brain, the spinal cord, and the rest
of the body. Symptoms of MS may be mild or severe and of long duration or
short and appear in various combinations. The initial symptom of MS is often
blurred or double vision, red-green color distortion, or even blindness in
one eye. Most MS patients experience muscle weakness in their extremities
and difficulty with coordination and balance. Most people with MS also exhibit
paresthesias, transitory abnormal sensory feeling such as numbness or "pins
and needles." Some may experience pain or loss of feeling. About half of
people with MS experience cognitive impairments such as difficulties with
concentration, attention, memory, and judgment. Such impairments are usually
mild, rarely disabling, and intellectual and language abilities are generally
spared. Heat may cause temporary worsening of many MS symptoms. Physicians
use a neurological examination and take a medical history when they suspect
MS. Imaging technologies such as MRI, which provides an anatomical picture
of lesions, and MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy), which yields information
about the biochemistry of the brain. Physicians also may study patients'
cerebrospinal fluid and an antibody called immunoglobulin G. No single test
unequivocally detects MS. A number of other diseases produce symptoms similar
to those seen in MS.
Return to top 
There is as yet no cure for MS. In the past, steroids were the principal medications
for MS. While steroids cannot affect the course of MS over time, they can reduce
the duration and severity of attacks in some patients. Other drugs for MS have
now been approved by the FDA. The goals of therapy are threefold: to improve
recovery from attacks, to prevent or lessen the number of relapses, and to
halt disease progression
Return to top
The cause of MS remains elusive, but most people with MS have a normal life
expectancy. The vast majority of MS patients are mildly affected, but in the
worst cases, MS can render a person unable to write, speak, or walk.
Return to top
Scientists are looking into the body's autoimmune system, infectious agents,
and genetics as culprits in MS. Studies into these areas strengthen the theory
that MS is the result of a number of factors rather than a single gene or
other agent. Studies use a technique called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
to visualize the evolution of MS lesions in the white matter of the brain.
Studies have shown that MS has no adverse effects on the course of pregnancy,
labor, or delivery; in fact, the stabilization or remission of symptoms during
pregnancy may be attributable to changes in a woman's immune system that
allows her to carry a baby.
Return to top
Clearinghouse
on Disability Information
International Multiple
Sclerosis Support Foundation
International
Essential Tremor Foundation
Multiple Sclerosis Association
of America
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
National Rehabilitation
Information Center (NARIC)
National Ataxia Foundation
(NAF)
National Multiple
Sclerosis Society
American Autoimmune Related
Diseases Association
National Organization
for Rare Disorders (NORD)
Return to top
