THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)

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MS is considered to be an autoimmune disease, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks normal tissue in the body, resulting in inflammation and swelling.

Research to date suggests that this attack is primarily aimed at myelin (the insulating material that covers nerve fibres) and oligodendrocytes (the cells responsible for making and maintaining myelin).

Myelin is the fatty covering (white matter) which acts like the plastic coating on an electrical wire ensuring fast and efficient transmission of nerve impulses between the brain and other parts of the body. Following the breakdown of myelin - a process called demylemination - scar tissue or sclerotic plaques (lesions) form along the myelin sheath. These interfere with the conduction of nerve impulses within the central nervous system (CNS). Made up of the brain, optic nerve and the spinal cord, the CNS acts as the body's messenger system. Recurring episodes of MS can cause many scars to form in the CNS therefore interferring with transmission. This damage can result in impairment of motor, sensory and/or cognitive functions.

In addition, research indicates MS may also target nerve cells directly, not just the myelin and oligodendrocyte cells. Evidence indicates that this damage may occur early in the course of MS, reinforcing the importance of early treatment.

Types of MS

While there is no way to predict with any accuracy how a person’s MS will progress, four basic clinical patterns have been defined:

  • Relapsing-remitting MS: characterised by clearly defined attacks (relapses or exacerbations), which last from days to weeks and then subside with full or partial recovery and no noticeable disease progression between attacks.
  • Primary-progressive MS: is characterised by a gradual but steady progression of disability from the onset with no obvious plateaus or remissions or only occasional plateaus and minor temporary improvements.
  • Secondary-progressive MS: begins initially as a relapsing-remitting course that later evolves into a more consistently progressive course with or without relapses.
  • Progressive-relapsing MS: shows a steady progression in disability from the onset of the disease, but with clear, acute relapses (attacks) that may or may not have some recovery following the acute episode.
References: MS Australia
Knowledge is Power Volume 1.
Read more at: MS Trust