An autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The effects of MS are often progressive; each relapse can cause plaque formations in the white matter covering the nervous tracts. This damage to the myelin sheath, which insulates the nerves, gives MS its debilitating symptoms by reducing the efficiency of nervous transduction. Over many years, the cumulative damage of MS can cause the loss of balance, muscle weaknesses and reduced cognitive abilities.
Above: MRI scan of the human head. MRI is often a key tool in the diagnosis of MS
Banner and inset Image courtesy of Flickr
News
Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis
01/06/2010 00:00
The link between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis has been used to explain the geographical distribution of the disease before. However, only recently has the association between the method of vitamin D exposure and development of the disease been investigated.
Results show that...
Combination therapy in multiple sclerosis
01/03/2010 00:00
This investigation acknowledges the effectiveness of current MS therapies and treatments, particularly in limiting the progression of inflammatory tissue damage.
It is hypothesised that combining drugs, such as 2 disease-modifying drugs or a disease-modifying drug combined with a corticosteroid,...
Brain blood vessels clue to MS
10/02/2010 17:17
A team at the University of Buffalo have found that more than half of MS patients have restricted veins that travel from the brain to the heart, otherwise known as chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). This looks to be a promising discovery of a major cause of MS.
Hopes raised for MS treatment
24/08/2009 14:18
Research at the University of Bristol has found that neurons containing a specific protein are more resistant to MS, and a potential treatment could be developed from this discovery. For more information, see link below.