Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Prepared by : Rawaz Abdullah
Multiple Sclerosis

Topic
Brief Overview of disease condition
History of MS
Epidemiology and world wide distribution
Types of MS
Signs and Symptoms
Factors causing Disease
Diagnosis
Treatments

Overview
• MS is predominantly a white a matter
disease and a neurodegenreative disorder
of the central nervous system that include
the brain, spinal cord and nerves.

MS - Introduction
• It is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease.
• Inflammation: body’s own immune cells attack the nerv
ous system.
• Demyelination: myelin (protective covering of the nerves
) is destroyed leaving multiple areas of scar tissue or scl
erosis.
• Most common age of occurrence – between 20 and 40

History of Multiple Sclerosis
The earliest description of MS was recorded in Holland on August
4, 1421 but the history of the disease really begins in the 19th cent
ury with the first clear illustrations and clinical description of the
disease beginning to appear in 1838”
The first actual case was diagnosed in 1849. It was Dr.Jean-Marti
n Charcot who is credited with giving us the first signs and sympt
oms of Multiple Sclerosis.

MS - Epidemiology
 Worldwide occurrence:1.1 – 2.5 million cases
 MS in women is 2-3 times more prevalent than in men.
 It is not contagious.
 In Canada an estimated that 55,000-75,000 people have
multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis - Types
There are 4 types of MS :
 Relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS)
 Primary-progressive MS (PP-MS)
 Progressive-relapsing MS (PR-MS)
 Secondary-progressive MS (SP-MS)

Relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS)
 More than 80% of the cases.
 Defined clinical exacerbation of neurological symptoms.
 After 10 to 20 years, RRMS usually changes to a differ
ent type of MS called secondary progressive multiple s
clerosis.

Primary-progressive MS (PP-MS)
 10 to 20% of individuals with MS are diagnosed with PP-
MS .
 Gradual progression of the disease from its onset .
 No overlapping relapses and remissions
 your legs were weak or you had trouble walking.

Progressive-relapsing MS (PR-MS)
 Rare .
 Initially presenting as PP-MS however, during the course
of the disease the individuals develop true neurologic ex
acerbations .
 Steady progression of clinical neurological damage with
superimposed relapses and remissions.

Secondary Progressive MS (SP-MS)
 SP-MS is characterized by a steady progression of neurol
ogical damage with or without superimposed relapses a
nd minor remissions .
 Individuals with SP-MS will have experienced a period of
RR-MS, which may have lasted from 2 to 40 years .
 Any super-imposed relapses and remissions fade over ti
me .

Demyelination of Nerve Fibers in MS
The destruction of the myelin sheath leads to impaired communication
between nerve cells and neurological symptoms such as abnormal se
nsations, vision problems , and weakness .

MS Signs and Symptoms
 Memory loss
 Depression
 Urinary and bowel problems
 Vision impairment
 Difficulty with walking
 Weakness and exhaustion
 Tingling and numbness of the
skin and limbs .

Multiple Sclerosis - Causes
• The exact cause of multiple sclerosis is not clear .
• In MS patients, a higher number of immune cells is seen
which suggest there might be an immune response; this
is suspected to be due to a virus or genetic defect .
• Other causes are environmental and hereditary .

Factors Contributing for MS
 Genetic Factors
 Gender: Women are 2 to 3 times more likely to get the disease.
 Family history of MS: A family history increases the risk of developing
MS .
 Environmental factors: MS occurs most commonly in those livin
g in northern weather .
 Infections: Researchers believe that many autoimmune diseases ar
e provoked by some kind of infection that strikes people who have a cer
tain genetic makeup .
 Migration :The age at which you may move may also be an importa
nt factor. “If you move before the age of 15, your risk is that of the p
eople in the country you move to. If you move after the age of 15,
your risk stays fixed at that of the country you grew up in .

How Autoimmune response cause MS

Mode of Action
The immune system attacks axons, causing destruction of
the myelin sheath resulting in a Conduction Block which leads
to permanent loss of function.

Multiple Sclerosis - Diagnosis
• MS is a clinical diagnosis.
• It is diagnosed by neurological examination and brain M
RI scans. Family history and lumber puncture are also u
sed for diagnosis.
• If MS is present, very high percentage of protein IgG (oli
goclonal antibody) bands can be seen in spinal fluid whi
ch is an additional confirmatory test. IgG banding is see
n in other diseases as well such as, Syphilis.

Pathophysiology
 Autoimmune response results in damage and lost fibers.
 Nerves can regain myelin, but process is not fast enough
to avoid the deterioration that occurs .
 Astrocytes form scars where myelin formerly existed .
 Inflammation, loss of myelin, and nerve fibers, and the s
carring that follows result in reduced transmission of ner
ve signals within the CNS.

Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
 Although no cure exists for MS, treatment aims to reduce the number
of relapses or attacks and to lessen their severity when they do occur
 Medications
 Chemotherapy
 MRI devoted to neurological imaging: using three- dimensional im
aging that determines whether a patient's condition is worsening.

Alternative Treatments
 Acupuncture
 Aromatherapy
 Cannabis (Marijuana)
 Chiropractic
 Cold Immersion
 Dietary Supplements
 Herbal Medication
 Homepathy
 Injection of Venom such
as snake and bee
 Massage
 Meditation
 Reflexology
 Tai Chi
 Yoga

Drugs of Multiple Sclerosis
 Beta interferons
 Glatirmar ( copaxone)
 Teriflunomide (Aubagio)
 Fingolimod (Gilenya)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

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Multiple Sclerosis (MS)