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Useful Links for Multiple Sclerosis

• Glossary
• Useful Links
• Diagnosing MS
• What causes MS?
• How does the Central Nervous System (CNS) work?
• Living with MS
• What is MS ?
• Common MS Symptoms?

Noticias De la Salud

• La mitad de los escolares sufren dolores de espalda
  Publicado 03 September 2010
• Asturias crea un nuevo tipo de faba, más resistente a las enfermedades
  Publicado 03 September 2010
• Más control a los clubes de fumadores
  Publicado 03 September 2010
• Michael Douglas desgrana el estado de su enfermedad
  Publicado 02 September 2010

Observe por favor que estas noticias están en web site externos.

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Multiple Sclerosis

• What Is MS?
• What Causes MS?
• Symptoms
• Central Nervous System
• Diagnosing MS
• Treatment
• Further Information

How does the Central Nervous System (CNS) work?

Together the brain and the spinal cord are known as the CNS. Inside the CNS there are billions of nerve cells called neuron. These nerve cells communicate by sending electrical signals. These signals travel along a part of the nerve cell called an axon (nerve fibre). Electrical signals are sent along the axons at high speeds, sending information between nerve cells. Axons (nerve fibres) are covered with a protective fatty substance called the myelin sheath. Myelin is similar to the coating around electrical wires.

Myelin is crucial in sending messages along the axon at a rapid rate. The myelin insulates the axon, ensuring that the message being sent does not dissipate. The axons convey messages throughout the CNS allowing you to perform many functions.

What happens in MS?

In MS a type of immune cell known as a T cell becomes activated and starts to multiply. These immune cells cross the blood- brain barrier (see glossary definition) into the CNS.

Once inside the CNS, these immune cells attack the myelin, causing inflammation, and damage to the myelin and the axon, leaving scar tissue called lesion or plaques.

When myelin is damaged, this slows down the electrical signals passing information between nerve cells.

After each attack – also called relapse, the body works to repair the areas of damaged myelin. Early in the disease, myelin may repair itself this is called remyelination. This repair process can be slow, is mostly incomplete, or may not occur at all.

If the myelin does repair itself, the electrical signals will then start to pass at high speeds once again. Over time, recovery and repair from each attack may be less and less complete, resulting in permanent damage to the myelin and the axon.

This damage causes a communication breakdown that permanently blocks the electrical signals sending information between the nerve cells. This results in permanent disability.

Areas of scar tissue, or plaques often called lesions, occur in areas where the myelin has been damaged.

How Nerve Cells Work

A. An axon with normal myelin. When myelin is normal, electrical signals are sent along the axons at high speeds, sending information between nerve cells.

B. An axon during an MS attack. There is myelin damage that blocks the electrical signals travelling from one nerve cell to the next.

C. The axon partially healed, the myelin is working to repair itself. This allows the electrical signals to resume travelling from one nerve cell to the next.

D. Permanent damage to the axon. This can occur after one or multiple attacks. Continued loss of myelin has resulted in damage to the axon. The electrical signals are permanently blocked from travelling from one nerve cell to the next.