Many people have questions about what is MS. MS, or Multiple Sclerosis, is a common neurological disorder that is diagnosed in young adults. MS is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that is made up of the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord.
MS damages the protective insulation, myelin, that surrounds the nerves and can damage these nerves within the central nervous system. Therefore, nerve impulses that carry messages from the brain and spinal cord can "short circuit" and this causes reduced or completely lost bodily function.
The causes of MS are not fully understood and researchers continue to search for answers. MS is not contagious, and it does not shorten a person's life expectancy. There is no cure or prevention for MS at this time, however, treatments are available that slow the progression of the disease and reduce the severity of the symptoms. The effects of MS are different with each individual. Some people will have symptoms for long periods of time and have a steady progression of the disease. Other people will experience symptoms for a shortened period of time and then remain symptom free for months or years.
Researchers have called MS an "autoimmune disease." This is because the white blood cells in our bodies that are meant to fight off diseases and infections are attacking the body's healthy cells. The attack by the immune system on the CNS causes inflammation in the CNS and can damage the myelin and injure the nerves. These areas of inflammation are called "lesions" and they change in size, number and location according to the type of MS and the severity of the disease. More often, MS can be "clinically silent", meaning there is no increase in symptoms but there is still disease activity within the CNS.
Researchers have come up with several possible causes for MS and a combination of factors seem to be involved in causing the disease. One of the most popular theories looks at slow-acting viruses, especially those that remain dormant for years, like measles, lymphoma and Epstein-Barr. After exposure to one of these viruses, researchers propose that MS can develop in genetically susceptible people. There is ongoing research to identify the specific genes involved in MS. Some scientists look for the involvement of nutritional factors in the development of MS. Things such as fat intake, deficiencies in fish oil and Vitamin D as well as food supplements may be involved in the development of MS.