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Multiple Sclerosis
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Multiple Sclerosis
If you have information that you would like to see here, please contact me at: FireLady40@aol.com. Return
to Home Page |
| Multiple Sclerosis | ||
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| Multiple sclerosis is considered to be a chronic inflammatory
autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord-CNS)
that causes the destruction of the covering (myelin sheath) of the nerves.
The demyelinating (an inflammatory process that destroys normal, healthy
myelin tissue) plaques or patches are scattered throughout the central
nervous system. These plaques interfere with or block the ability of the
nerves to transmit nervous system signals (neurotransmission) and can cause
a wide range of neurological symptoms. It is strongly suspected that an
autoantibody targeted at the myelin tissue is the underlying factor in
the formation of these demyelinating plaques.
MS affect between 200,000 and 350,000 people, according to a variety of sources, including the National Institute of Health and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The disease can affect any age. However, the diagnosis is most often made between 20 and 40 years of age and more often in women than men. MS is more common in Caucasian Americans than in Americans of African or Oriental heritage. The exact cause of MS is not known. It is currently thought that an underlying factor in MS is an autoimmune response in someone genetically predisposed to develop an autoimmune disease, possibly triggered by a virus, chemical or something in the person's environment. |
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