Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). In multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the protective covering (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes problems with communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term (chronic) disease of the central nervous system. It's thought to be an autoimmune disorder, a condition in which the body attacks itself by mistake.
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease that affects people differently. Some people with multiple sclerosis may have only mild symptoms. Others may lose the ability to see clearly, write, speak, or walk when communication between the brain and other parts of the body is interrupted. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease.
In these conditions, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. In people with multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks myelin cells, the protective layer that surrounds nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It's a neurological condition, meaning it affects the nerves. Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system attacks nerves by mistake.
It damages the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis, or MS, occurs when the immune system attacks myelin, the covering that surrounds nerve cells. Without this outer layer, nerves are damaged and cause problems with communication between the brain and the rest of the body.