MAYO CLINIC: CLICK TO READ MORE"Multiple sclerosis

Overview
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, potentially debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Doctors and researchers think the illness is probably an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system attacks part of your body as if it's a foreign substance.

In multiple sclerosis, the body incorrectly directs antibodies and white blood cells against proteins in the myelin sheath, which surrounds nerves in your brain and spinal cord. This causes inflammation and injury to the sheath and ultimately to the nerves that it surrounds. The result may be multiple areas of scarring (sclerosis). Eventually, this damage can slow or block the nerve signals that control muscle coordination, strength, sensation and vision.

Multiple sclerosis affects more than 1 million people around the world - including twice as many women as men. Most people experience their first symptoms between ages 20 and 40. This disease is unpredictable and varies in severity. In some people, MS is a mild illness, but, for others, it results in permanent disability. Treatments can modify the course of the disease and relieve symptoms."