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