What is MS?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, often leading to significant disability. Typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, MS can also affect children and teenagers with increasing frequency.

For reasons not fully understood, women are diagnosed with MS 2.5 to 3 times more often than men. Symptoms range from mild, such as numbness in the limbs, to severe, including paralysis or loss of vision. These symptoms occur because the myelin, the insulating sheath around nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, is damaged. This damage disrupts the communication between the brain and other parts of the body.

While myelin can repair itself, it often leaves behind scar tissue or sclerosis. This can cause initial symptoms to disappear but return later, often more severe. These episodes, called exacerbations, can lead to increased disability over time.

Managing MS is a lifelong challenge due to its unpredictable physical and emotional effects. Until recently, little was known about MS, but advances in research and treatment are providing hope. MS progresses differently in each person, and four courses of the disease have been identified:

Relapsing/Remitting MS: This is the most common form, affecting 70-75% of those initially diagnosed. Exacerbations are unpredictable, and while some patients may not experience another attack for years, the frequency and severity often increase over time. Many patients eventually transition to the secondary/progressive stage.
Secondary/Progressive MS: About 50% of those with relapsing/remitting MS will develop this form within ten years, and 90% within 25 years. This stage is marked by increased exacerbations and disability.
Primary/Progressive MS: This more aggressive form affects about 15% of patients. It is characterized by a steady loss of function without remittance periods or acute exacerbations.
Progressive-Relapsing MS: This rare and highly aggressive form affects 6-10% of patients and is marked by constant exacerbations without remittance.

Is there a cure for MS?

Currently, there is no cure for MS. However, significant progress is being made in research and treatment, providing hope for the future. Advances in drug therapies are helping manage the disease more effectively than ever before. Key areas of research include:

Halting demyelination: Stopping the process that destroys myelin.
Promoting remyelination: Encouraging the regrowth of myelin.
Repairing damaged axons: Investigating ways to repair nerve cells affected by MS.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, people with MS today can lead more productive lives, with the hope that a cure is on the horizon.

In the future, we hope that MS will stand for "Mystery Solved"