Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis

● Symptoms and Causes  

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition that results in inflammatory damage to the central nervous system (CNS). The pathologic hallmarks are diffuse and focal areas of inflammation, demyelination, gliosis, and neuronal injury in the optic nerves, brain, and spinal cord. In addition to affecting white matter tracts, multiple sclerosis results in injury to the cortical and deep gray matter. The neurologic symptoms and disability that patients experience are a direct consequence of these pathologic processes, resulting in acute and chronic disruption of white matter tracts and gray matter structures. Multiple sclerosis is the most common nontraumatic cause of neurologic disability in persons younger than 40 years. The cause of multiple sclerosis is multifactorial and is probably the cumulative result of multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. 

N Engl J Med. 2000 Sep 28;343(13):938-52.