What is Multiple Sclerosis? Multiple Sclerosis is a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the central nervous system causing damage to the myelin or the electrical insulation sheath of neurons. A neuron has the capability of converting information into electrochemical signals that are sent through the central nervous system.
Neurons fire the body to action in response to stimuli and if the neurons are destroyed or lost, the central nervous system cannot function and send information to the body parts to act. Unfortunately neurons cannot be replaced. When signaling stops, the nerves affected cannot function and this causes impairment of sensation, difficulties in movement, blurring of eyesight, slurred speech and a host of other issues depending upon which organ is affected.
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis are quite mild and almost normal to any disease which may appear manageable without a doctor. It is only when the disease progresses and is diagnosed, that the symptoms of multiple sclerosis appear more prominent. Loss of sensation, weak limb movement, blurred vision, difficulties in speech and swallowing, difficulty in maintaining balance are some of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Causes of Multiple Sclerosis
Till date, no definite causes of multiple sclerosis have been located. Research has progressed in different directions often pointing to the genetic causes which include the possibility of transmission of the disease from the parent to the sibling and from families having a known history of Multiple Sclerosis to their progeny.
However, no conclusive proof has so far been established. There is also an environmental angle to the causes of multiple sclerosis. One school of thought has been researching the occurrence of the disease amongst people living with a population having a large incidence of the disease. Scientists have also tried to establish the viral infection theory of the disease. It is believed that the Human Herpes virus has been found to exist at significant levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of persons suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.
Apart from the pathological findings, it has also been researched that people who live farther away from the equator and who have lesser exposure to sunlight have a greater risk of the disease. Insufficient absorption of Vitamin D in the skin is said to be one of the contributing factors of the disease. Continuous association with an environment having harmful toxins released in the atmosphere is also said to lead to Multiple Sclerosis while some researchers argue that continued smoking and the resultant damage to the lungs may also contribute to the occurrence of the disease.
Stress and associated trauma is also one of the studied causes of multiple sclerosis according to many researchers. However, no evidence or truth has so far been established in any of the causes mentioned above as being the sole contributing factor to the occurrence and the spread of the disease. This has hampered research in its core long term treatment and finding out the preventive factors which could help in the development of a specific treatment course which unfortunately does not exist at present.
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