Multiple Sclerosis

by Michael Williamson

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) - that's the brain and spinal cord. Predominantly, it is a disease of the white matter tissue. The white matter is made up of nerve fibers which are responsible for transmitting communication signals both internally within the CNS and between the CNS and the nerves supplying rest of the body. MS is considered to be an auto-immune disease where the body essentialy attacks itself.

MS symptoms vary from patient to patient and can be anywhere from mild to severe. Symptoms include some or all of the following: muscular paralysis, fatigue, loss of motor coordination, pain, incontinence, ataxia, vision loss or impairment, and muscle spasms.

There are 4 types of MS

RRMS or relapsing-remitting MS
SPMS or secondary-progressive MS
PPMS or primary-progressive MS
PRMS or progressive-relapsing MS

The most common MS is RRMS which makes up 85% of all MS patients and is considered to be the "Good MS."

There is no cure for MS. There are several therapy options for MS which either involve an injection or an infusion. There is one approved oral medication and several more in clinical trial studies. The injectable brand names are Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, and Rebif. The infusion brand name is Tysabri and the oral brand name is Gilenya. For people with RRMS, these medicines can reduce the number and severity of relapses and can result in fewer brain lesions. They may also delay the progression of disability in some people.