Multiple Sclerosis

Definition

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the nervous system that can affect young and middle-aged adults.
The course of this illness usually involves recurrent relapses followed by remissions, but some patients experience a chronic progressive course.

Cause

The myelin sheaths surrounding nerves in the brain and spinal cord are damaged, which affects the function of the nerves involved. The underlying cause of the nerve damage remains unknown.

Effect

Multiple Sclerosis affects different parts of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in typically scattered symptoms.
These can include:

* Unsteady gait and shaky movement of the limbs (ataxia);
* Rapid involuntary movements of the eyes (nystagmus);
* Defects in speech pronunciation (dysarthria);
* Spastic weakness and retrobulbar neuritis (= inflammation of the optic nerve).