Multiple Sclerosis: Body Control System

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Body Control Systems July 11, 2012 Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, or MS for short, is a disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord. This disease is caused by damage to the myelin sheath, which is a fatty, protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. The damaged myelin forms scar tissue, or sclerosis, which gives the disease its name. The nerve damage is caused by inflammation, which occurs when the body's own immune cells attack the nervous system. MS can occur along any area of the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord. There are numerous symptoms that MS presents. Among these are: muscle spasms, loss of balance, numbness, tremors and weakness in arms and legs, and hearing or vision loss. The symptoms can also vary…show more content…
The main cause of MS is still not known. There are four theories as to the cause. The first theory is called immunologic. This theory is that MS involves an autoimmune process, which means that the immune system is reacting against normally-occurring antigens in the body, as if these antigens were foreign. Antigens are generally proteins that stimulate an immune response. Basically, the immune system in the body attacks the nerves. The second theory is that MS is caused by environmental factors. Studies have shown that MS occurs more in places that are farther from the equator. Some scientists believe that this proximity from the equator actually has something to do with Vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced by the body. In regions that are further from the equator, the sunlight is more filtered, thereby reducing the amount of vitamin D that is produced by the body. Studies have also shown that people who are born in a part of the world with a high risk of MS, who then move to a new area, acquire the risk in the new area. This suggests that there is some sort of environmental “agent” that may be responsible for…show more content…
The most common types of rehabilitation are: physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy, and vocational rehabilitation. All of these therapies are focused on the functionality of a person with MS, as MS can be debilitating. The physical, vocational, and occupational therapies focus mostly on helping a person with mobility issues, such as walking or using their arms and hands, as numbness can make these activities difficult. As MS can affect speech, with slurred or hard to understand speech, speech therapy is used. Cognitive therapies are used as MS can also cause problems with reasoning and problem solving

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