Multiple Sclerosis

We live life by walking, talking, and seeing the world around us. These are all actions that are completely dependent on the efficiency of our central nervous system (CNS). The neurons in the CNS are responsible for providing us with the motor and sensory information we need to experience the world. An important element of these neurons is the myelin sheath, which provides for rapid and accurate transmission of information across our body. If anything were to happen to these neurons, or specifically the myelin protecting them, we would suffer from severe cognitive, sensory and motor deficits. An example of a condition that affects the myelin sheath of the CNS is multiple sclerosis, with sclerosis meaning “scarring” and multiple meaning in many …show more content…
Our immune system consists of two categories of white blood; B cells and T cells. B cells are responsible for producing antibodies, while T cells have a variety of functions and are more relevant in the study of multiple sclerosis. There are three types of T cells; helper, which activate antibody production and release cytokines, regulatory, which help inhibit an immune response, and cytotoxic, which directly destroy target cells (2). Cytokines are chemicals that are released to intensify an immune response. T cells identify receptors on cells as foreign and bind to them to attack. The problem in multiple sclerosis is that the cells being targeted are our myelin sheath and other important structures. Although it is still unknown what triggers T cells to become activated for myelin proteins, it is believed to be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental …show more content…
Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is the most common of the four and is categorized by distinct “flare-ups” of the disease followed by a period of remission where most, if not all, function is regained and homeostasis is maintained as normal for a while. However, as time passes and more and more flare-ups occur, RRMS can develop into secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) which is similar to RRMS in that there are flare-ups and episodes of remission, but in SPMS there is a progressive downward trend in that after each flare up, less and less function is regained, creating new set points for neurological function. The third type is primary-progressive MS (PPMS), which is the consistent worsening of the condition from the beginning with no times of remission in between. PPMS is similar to the fourth type, progressive-relapsing MS (PRMS). PRMS is the least common of the four and is categorized as steady progression of the disease with potential times of remission along the way (2). MS is a condition that varies greatly from person to person and depends a lot of how extensive the demyelination is and how successful the remyelination processes occur. For this reason, it is difficult to study, track, and

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