| Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease and | | | | depression). Most people with MS also exhibit |
| affects the central nervous system. Central | | | | paresthesias, transitory abnormal sensory feelings |
| nervous system is made up of nerves that act | | | | such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles" |
| as the body's messenger system. It damages the | | | | sensations. Some may also experience pain. |
| myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and | | | | Speech impediments, tremors, and dizziness are |
| protects your nerve cells. This damage slows | | | | other frequent complaints. Occasionally, people |
| down or blocks messages between your brain | | | | with MS have hearing loss. Approximately half of |
| and your body. Multiple sclerosis (MS) usually | | | | all people with MS experience cognitive |
| affects woman more than men. The disorder | | | | impairments such as difficulties with concentration, |
| most commonly begins between ages 20 and 40, | | | | attention, memory, and poor judgment, but such |
| but can strike at any age. Multiple sclerosis affects | | | | symptoms are usually mild and are frequently |
| neurons, the cells of the brain and spinal cord that | | | | overlooked. Subsequent symptoms also include |
| carry information, create thought and perception, | | | | more prominent upper motor neuron signs, i.e.,. |
| and allow the brain to control the body. | | | | increased spasticity, increasing para- or |
| Surrounding and protecting some of these | | | | quardriparesis. Vertigo, incoordination and other |
| neurons is a fatty layer known as the myelin | | | | cerebellar problems, depression, emotional lability, |
| sheath, which helps neurons carry electrical signals. | | | | abnormalities in gait, dysarthria, fatigue and pain |
| MS causes gradual destruction of myelin | | | | are also commonly seen. |
| (demyelination) and transection of neuron axons in | | | | Multiple sclerosis is difficult to diagnose in its early |
| patches throughout the brain and spinal cord. The | | | | stages. Several types of therapy have proven to |
| name multiple sclerosis refers to the multiple scars | | | | be helpful for multiple sclerosis. Medications can |
| (or scleroses) on the myelin sheaths. This scarring | | | | help ease MS attacks and possibly slow the |
| causes symptoms which vary widely depending | | | | disease. The goal of treatment is to control |
| upon which signals are interrupted. Multiple sclerosis | | | | symptoms and maintain a normal quality of life. |
| may take several different forms, with new | | | | Many patients do well with no therapy at all, |
| symptoms occurring either in discrete attacks or | | | | especially since many medications have serious |
| slowly accruing over time. Between attacks, | | | | side effects and some carry significant risks. |
| symptoms may resolve completely, but | | | | Interferon beta-1b (Betaseron) and interferon |
| permanent neurologic problems often persist, | | | | beta-1a (Avonex, Rebif) are genetically engineered |
| especially as the disease advances. MS currently | | | | copies of proteins that occur naturally in your |
| does not have a cure, though several treatments | | | | body. They help fight viral infection and regulate |
| are available that may slow the appearance of | | | | your immune system. Glatiramer is synthetic |
| new symptoms. MS is believed to result from | | | | medication made of four amino acids that are |
| damage to the myelin sheath, the protective | | | | found in myelin. This drug stimulates T cells in the |
| material which surrounds nerve cells. It is a | | | | body's immune system to change from harmful, |
| progressive disease, meaning the damage gets | | | | pro-inflammatory agents to beneficial, |
| worse over time. Inflammation destroys the | | | | anti-inflammatory agents that work to reduce |
| myelin, leaving multiple areas of scar tissue | | | | inflammation at lesion sites. Natalizumab (Tysabri) |
| (sclerosis). The inflammation occurs when the | | | | drug is administered intravenously once a month. |
| body's own immune cells attack the nervous | | | | It works by blocking the attachment of immune |
| system. | | | | cells to brain blood vessels - a necessary step for |
| MS gets its name from the buildup of scar tissue | | | | immune cells to cross into the brain - thus |
| (sclerosis) in the brain and/or spinal cord. | | | | reducing the immune cells' inflammatory action on |
| Symptoms of MS may mimic many other | | | | brain nerve cells. During clinical trials, this drug was |
| neurologic disorders. Multiple sclerosis affects an | | | | shown to significantly reduce the frequency of |
| estimated 300,000 people in the United States | | | | attacks in people with relapsing MS. Mitoxantrone |
| and probably more than 1 million people around | | | | (Novantrone) is a chemotherapy drug used for |
| the world. Signs and symptoms of multiple | | | | many cancers. It's given intravenously, typically |
| sclerosis vary widely, depending on the location of | | | | every three months. Muscle relaxants. Baclofen |
| affected nerve fibers. MS can cause a variety of | | | | (Lioresal) and tizanidine (Zanaflex) are oral |
| symptoms, including changes in sensation | | | | treatments for muscle spasticity. If you have |
| (hypoesthesia), muscle weakness, abnormal | | | | multiple sclerosis, you may experience muscle |
| muscle spasms, or difficulty to move; difficulties | | | | stiffening or spasms, particularly in your legs, |
| with coordination and balance (ataxia); problems in | | | | which can be painful and uncontrollable. Baclofen |
| speech (Dysarthria) or swallowing (Dysphagia), | | | | may temporarily increase weakness in your legs. |
| visual problems (Nystagmus, optic neuritis, or | | | | Tizanidine controls muscle spasms without causing |
| diplopia), fatigue and acute or chronic pain | | | | your legs to feel weak, but can be associated |
| syndromes, bladder and bowel difficulties, cognitive | | | | with drowsiness or a dry mouth. |
| impairment, or emotional symptomatology (mainly | | | | |