What causes the symptoms of MS?
In a healthy body, nerve fibers (also referred to as “axons”) have a protective, fatty-rich protein covering known as myelin. This covering insulates the nerve fibers, similar to the insulating rubber covering of an electric wire. Myelin allows for the smooth and uninterrupted flow of nerve impulses, which in turn enables the body to send vital instructions from the brain to the different parts of the body. With MS, the body’s own system of defense, known as the immune system, malfunctions. It sends disease-fighting cells into the CNS to destroy the body’s own myelin. This occurs because the immune system is incorrectly identifying the myelin in the CNS as a foreign body. When the body’s own immune system attacks its own tissue, this is referred to as an autoimmune disease. Most researchers believe that MS is an autoimmune disease. Examples of other autoimmune diseases include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell and play a strong role in the body’
