Understanding Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system. In patients with MS, the myelin sheath (the material that surrounds and protects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord), becomes inflamed and damaged leading to scarring (sclerosis). As a result, messages between the brain and body become slower and sometimes blocked. Vision, strength, thinking, memory, sensation and muscle coordination may be affected. Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak or move about freely.

Multiple sclerosis generally begins between the ages of 20 and 40, 1 although it has been seen in children as young as two years old. It affects twice as many women as men and is more common in northern latitudes and among Caucasians. The disease is on the rise and is estimated to affect more than 1 million people worldwide.1 It is increasingly seen among ethnic groups, who at one time were believed to be unaffected by the disease.

A lot of research is being focused on MS. Over the past 15 years a number of medications have come on the market that can slow the progress of the disease and reduce the number, intensity and duration of relapses. In addition a number of new investigational drugs are showing promise.