Glossary / Lexicon

Multiple sclerosis or MS refers to a disorder in which myelin is replaced by hard fibrous tissue that impedes neural transmission.

Moreover, Multiple sclerosis refers to a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system in which gradual destruction of myelin occurs in patches throughout the brain or spinal cord (or both), which interferes with the nerve pathways, causing muscular weakness, loss of speech and coordination, and visual disturbances. It is the most common potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults. In most patients, the disorder moves through characteristic phases of attacks which recover, episodes leaving persistent deficits and then slow progression.

This natural history usually evolves over many years and life expectancy is not significantly reduced. Onset of Multiple sclerosis is usually in early adult life but children and adolescents can be affected. 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. 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. Multiple Scerosis 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.