| Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory neurological | | | | than men in proportion of 1.6 to 2.1 times. Under |
| disease affecting the central nervous system which | | | | fifteen years old and over fifty years women |
| results in loss of myelin, the insulating material around | | | | outnumber men 3 to 1, perhaps due to hormonal |
| nerves, a process called demyelination. The lesions in | | | | differences. |
| MS are scarred, thickened areas, giving rise to the | | | | The primary and progressive form of multiple |
| term sclerosis in this disease. MS is an active disease | | | | sclerosis is more likely to occur in male patients and |
| with continual formation of lesions and a steady | | | | the relapsing form in female patients. When an attack |
| worsening clinical situation involving increasing disability. | | | | of the condition occurs it shows up in new |
| Patients who have the commonest form of MS have | | | | symptoms of the central nervous system with |
| relapsing (worsening) and remitting (recovering) | | | | symptoms typically occurring over a period of time |
| disease with about five to ten new neurological | | | | and in different body areas. Loss of feeling in a body |
| lesions every year and one or two clinical worsenings. | | | | part, optic nerve involvement leading to double vision |
| The ability to image and confirm the diagnosis of MS | | | | and sudden loss of muscle power in a limb are all |
| has been greatly enhanced by the advent of MRI | | | | examples of typical attacks. However, there may be |
| scanning which allows the lesions to be identified. | | | | no specific attacks but rather a steady deterioration |
| Multiple sclerosis has not been linked with any | | | | in both mental and physical abilities. |
| particular triggering agent although hormonal factors | | | | If someone has an acute attack and then improves |
| are known to be important as the disease remits in | | | | afterwards they are said to have the relapsing and |
| pregnancy and relapses after the child is born. Many | | | | remitting form of multiple sclerosis. However, most |
| different factors could be responsible but it is known | | | | people in this group will at some time enter a phase |
| that an ongoing infection is only present in one out of | | | | of steady worsening known as secondary |
| four presentations of the disease. | | | | progressive disease. The primary progressive form |
| The course of multiple sclerosis varies greatly and the | | | | exhibits continuing increase in disability without any |
| disease can be classified partly by the characteristic | | | | remissions, often progressing rapidly to complete |
| pattern of incidence. More frequent in Caucasian | | | | paralysis. This type of MS is more disabling and less |
| peoples, MS increases in frequency as the latitude | | | | responsive to therapy than the other forms. If |
| increases, in other words the risk is greater the | | | | patients do not recover their disability inbetween |
| further north the person lives. The likelihood of | | | | relapses they can be classified as having relapsing and |
| getting MS may be affected by genetic factors but | | | | progressive MS. |
| environmental matters are known to be important as | | | | The symptoms of MS tend to cover a wide range of |
| moving from a lower risk region to a higher risk | | | | abilities in any individual patients but there can be a |
| region before fifteen years carries within it the risk | | | | concentration of symptoms involving the visual, |
| of the new region. | | | | mental functioning or balance and coordination |
| The estimated number of patients suffering from | | | | systems. It is thought that at some point in the |
| multiple sclerosis in the world is two and a half million | | | | disease MS sufferers reach a point where the |
| and as many are younger people this causes | | | | disease worsens more continuously with an indication |
| significant disability and interference with work and | | | | of neurodegeneration rather than just inflammation. |
| family life. While MS is not the direct cause of death | | | | However, one of the characteristics of MS is that |
| it is estimated that it reduces life expectancy by | | | | patients can present with almost any combination of |
| between five and seven years perhaps secondary to | | | | symptoms or with severe changes in one particular |
| urinary infections and other side effects of immobility. | | | | neurological system. Severe loss of mental ability may |
| The largest numbers occur in northern European | | | | be evident without much evidence of central nervous |
| populations with women more commonly presenting | | | | system lesions. |