What role does the immune system play?
The immune system plays a key role in MS. It appears to be directly involved in the damage that occurs to myelin. Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, play a role in controlling the immune response that develops in MS. Lymphocytes invade the brain and/or central nervous system during acute attacks. The balance between different types of lymphocytes determines the activity of the immune reaction in the brain and/or central nervous system. Along with microglial cells, lymphocytes are responsible for the damage that occurs to the myelin. What causes the immune system to be active in this disease is not known.
