| Multiple sclerosis is a form of autoimmune | | | | between nervous cells. When the myelin cover |
| disease that often causes irreversible | | | | is destroyed, the signals transmitted at the |
| impairments at different levels of the | | | | level of the nervous system are disrupted, |
| nervous system. At present, multiple | | | | thus causing a series of neurological |
| sclerosis can neither be prevented, nor | | | | symptoms in patients confronted with this |
| completely cured. However, the existing | | | | type of disease. Although in the past medical |
| treatments are used to slow down the | | | | scientists believed that multiple sclerosis |
| progression of the disease, prolong the | | | | only involves the destruction of myelin, |
| periods of remission, ease the symptomatic | | | | recent medical investigations have revealed |
| flare-ups and prevent the development of | | | | the fact that the axons are also attacked by |
| further complications. The main factor | | | | the dysfunctional immune system. |
| responsible for the development of multiple | | | | |
| sclerosis is inappropriate activity of the | | | | Axon destruction begins in the incipient |
| immune system. | | | | stages of multiple sclerosis and it is |
| | | | considered to be the main reason for the |
| While the normal immune system produces | | | | irreversible character of the disease. The |
| antibodies that fight against antigens | | | | spontaneous periods of remission experienced |
| (foreign infectious agents), in the case of | | | | by most patients with multiple sclerosis are |
| multiple sclerosis the immune system becomes | | | | believed to occur not as a result of |
| dysfunctional and turns against healthy body | | | | temporary decreased autoimmune response, but |
| cells. The compromised immune system can no | | | | as a result of accentuated remyelination |
| longer distinguish between healthy, normal | | | | (repairing of the myelin) at the level of the |
| cells and antigens, triggering repeated | | | | nerve cells. However, the benefic effects of |
| attacks on the body's nervous system and | | | | remyelination are later surpassed by the |
| destroying the nervous cells' protective | | | | undesired actions of the immune system in the |
| cover called myelin. The destruction of | | | | periods of relapse. Intrigued by the process |
| myelin (protein that has a series of vital | | | | of spontaneous remyelination that occurs in |
| roles at the level of the nervous system) | | | | the periods of remission, medical scientists |
| determines serious impairments of the central | | | | are currently working to stimulate and |
| nervous system and peripheral nerve tissues. | | | | enhance this process at the level of the |
| | | | nerve cells in patients with multiple |
| Myelin surrounds the axons, (filaments that | | | | sclerosis. Extra stimulation of the nervous |
| are responsible with the transmission of | | | | systems' production of myelin, corroborated |
| electric impulses among nerve cells) | | | | with immunosuppressive treatments may provide |
| facilitating the transmission of information | | | | an efficient cure in the near future. |