Multiple Sclerosis

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system malfunctions and targets and destroys the myelin and oligodendrocyte cells of the brain and spinal cord. It looks at how the disease also causes irreparable damage in the central nervous system (CNS) by destroying targeted axons. It also discusses how treatment of the disease includes the treatment of acute symptoms and treatments to reduce the frequency of the relapse of the disease.

From the Paper:

"The pathology of MS involves inflammation of the targeted area, demyelination of the axon and axon degeneration. Axon degeneration permanently destroys the demyelinated axon and causes irreversible damage to the CNS. This damage is responsible for the persistent disabling features of the disease. The CNS performs as a distributed network of activities. MS attacks individual parts of the CNS causing varied degrees of disabilities in specific domains of neurological function. Therefore, no two MS patients are affected in exactly the same way. MS is usually first diagnosed between 15 and 50 years of age (Randall, & Schapiro 2003). "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bruck, W., Stadelmann, C. (2003). Inflammation and degeneration in multiple sclerosis. Neurological Sciences, 24, s265-s267.
• Fleming, J., Fabry, Z. (2007). The Hygiene Hypothesis and Multiple Sclerosis. Annals of Neurology, 61, 85-89.
• Kessel, K. V., Moss-Morris, R. (2006). Understanding multiple sclerosis fatigue: A synthesis of biological and psychological factors. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 61, 583-585.
• Komaroff, A. L. (1999). Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster.
• Randall, T., Schapiro, M. D. (2003). Managing the Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (4th ed.). New York: New York Demos Medical Publishing.

More papers on Multiple Sclerosis:

• Persuasive Essay # 139011 : "A Cure for Multiple Sclerosis"
• Persuasive Essay # 139005 : "Endowment for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society"
• Essay # 32023 : "Multiple Sclerosis or MS"
• Essay # 32024 : "Multiple Sclerosis"

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