What is Multiple Scierosis?

Multiple Scierosis (MS) is an illness diagnosed in over 350,000 person in the United States today. There is still much to be learned about  multiple scierosis. MS typically has more than one (multiple) area of inflammation and scarring of the myelin in the brain and spinal cord. Myelin is the tissue that covers and protects our nerve fibers.

When this occurs, nerve communication is disrupted. An individual with MS experience various degrees of neurological impairment depending on the location and extent of the scarring. Although there is no known cure for MS at this time, there is much that can be done to improving quality of life.

What Causes MS?

Although a specific cause of MS has not yet been identified, there are several theories. MS is an " autoimmune"  disease which means that the body's immune system begins to attack normal body tissue. In the case of MS, the body attacks the cells that make myelin.

Recent data suggest that common viruses may play a role in the cause of MS. If this is true then, MS may be caused by a persistent viral infection or, by an immune process initiated by a transient viral infectionin the body, most likely the nervous system. Enviromental studies centering on where MS exists and where it is absent, suggest that there is a triggering factor. It appears that some factor-most likely infectious-must be encountered before the age of 16 in order for the disease to be triggered later in life.

written by maryanne

July 22, 2008