Essay - Multiple Sclerosis as a Major Neurological Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis Affects...

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

As a major neurological disorder, multiple sclerosis affects the central nervous system which is composed of the brain and the spinal cord. The d*****ease process produces tiny microscopic lesions ***** damaged tissue in both areas, yet ***** peripheral nervous system, which is made up of the many nerves and muscles throughout ***** body, is usually spared. The lesions of ***** sclerosis show a number of characteristic features; first, there is inflammation, in which immune system cells from the blood, such as T *****, B cells and monocytes, cross the blood-bra***** barrier to move into the brain ***** the spinal *****. *****h***** typically occurs right around blood vessels and the inflammation is often accompanied by localized edema or swelling as a sign of the temporary marked leakiness ***** the ***** vessels.

Once the blood ***** cells are within *****se ***** nervous system **********, they cause local immune reactions which do not normally occur within the CSN. When they do, they result in demyelination, "the process of destruction or removal of the myelin sheath from a nerve or nerve fiber" (Compston 1221), i.e. the proteins that form an insulating ***** around the nerve ********** known as axons. This insulating myelin sheath allows very rapid electrical nerve impulse conduction; all ***** nerve cells of the CNS connect through ********** axons. Thus, loss of the insulating myelin eventually leads to failure ***** nerve conduction *****d "depending on ***** areas of the CNS are affected and how badly they are damaged, the type and severity ***** symp*****ms can vary greatly" (Health on the Net Foundation).

Recently, various researchers have discovered that multiple sclerosis also involves damage to ***** axons. ***** seems ***** be particularly important in patients with MS who ***** a progressive course. A scar-like reaction (gliosis) ********** surrounding the damaged area; ***** actual lesions are called plaques which tend to form most often around small blood ***** and very near cerebrospinal fluid, a w*****ter-like substance ***** surrounds and cushions the brain and the spinal cord. In these lesions, the ***** ***** that create ***** myelin sheath, called oligodendrocytes, ***** ***** destroyed. The ***** of multiple sclerosis is not known at th***** time, but three significant factors appear to play ***** roles, ***** *****ing genetics, the environment and ***** lack of protection via the human immune system. In regard to research on genetics, numerous members of the Mayo Clinic have been focusing ***** genes that govern the ***** system via "searching for genetic variations in people with *****, and determining whether these unique ***** point ***** ***** that influence MS susceptibility and progression" (Bernstein, Internet).

***** symptoms of ***** sclerosis and ***** they affect the human body "varies a great deal from its onset and the functional problems, co*****led with psychosocial concerns, exacerbates ***** disease symptomatically" (Kerr 342). *****ccording to recent findings, there are nine major functional symp*****ms associated ***** MS--fatigue, spasticity, tremor, ***** kinds of pain (trigeminal neuralgia), bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, sexual problems, depression and cognitive dysfunction.

Fatigue may be