Multiple Sclerosis: Define The Physiologic Problem

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PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
1. Physiological Problem
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a medical condition that occurs when the immune system attacks myelin, the fatty linings around the CNS nerve fibers. Destruction of this outer shell causes damage to the nerves, subsequently causing scar tissue. The disease attacks the central nervous system (CNS) of the patient, destroying the CNS tissues. It’s sparked by autoimmune conditions which involve the body’s immune system attacking itself. The immune system destroys myelin and the nervous system cells. This immune-mediated attack to the CNS destroys myelin, which is the protective fat covering the CNS nerves that interconnect the brain and the spinal cord (Vijaykumar & McGee, 2016).
2. Impact On Patient’s Body
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) develops when an autoimmune response attacks the Central Nervous System (CNS), causing significant damage to the neurons. It triggers a certain form of inflammation within the myelin that offers protection to axons in the brain, spinal cord and other CNS organs. This inflammation is associated with significant damage to myelin. Subsequently, the myelin covering axons gets progressively depleted and eventually disappears in a process commonly referred to as demyelination (Vijaykumar & McGee, 2016).This process significantly destroys axons there by impairing with the transmission of electrical signals within the central nervous system. Sometimes, the body can repair the impaired myelin once the inflammation ceases through remyelination.
3. MS Pathogenesis
The disease starts at the age of 15-50, and it’s most prevalent among women. Although the MS Pathophysiology/etiology remains a mystery, its pathogenesis is largely multifocal demyelination that involves destruction of axons in the central nervous system. It’s believed that the cortical lesions can also contribute to multiple sclerosis. However, damage to the body tissues varies from one patient to another (Hojati et al. 2016).
Scientists believe that environmental as well as genetic factors could have a role in sparking the autoimmune response. Research scientists established that MS risk is highest as one move far from the equator, and decreases as one moves closer. Findings from the U.S National Multiple Sclerosis organization have shown that MS prevalence is highest in the northern U.S states as compared to the southern states(Vijaykumar & McGee, 2016). Some studies have suggested that increased exposure to the sun can significantly decrease the risks of MS, even though there still lacks substantive evidence on the role of the sun in risk reduction. Some researchers have attributed this phenomenon to a specific unknown environmental virus that could be the one that triggers the autoimmune response. Some studies have linked the autoimmune response to genetic factors. Therefore risks of MS are higher in children whose parents were diagnosed with MS. It has been discovered that identical twins born of a person who has been diagnosed with MS have 33% probability of developing MS (Daisuke et al. 2016). Nevertheless, it’s believed that since the chances of genetic contributing are 33% rather...