Multiple Sclerosis

The nervous system controls functions in the body. It coordinates every response in the body. That is physical response, emotional response and mental response. The nervous system coordinates internal responses in the body like changes in body temperature. The main function of the brain is the reception of stimuli by its special sensory cells. To carry this function the neurons must be diverse so as to transmit impulses in the body. Thus the nervous system is important as it helps the body to function well. Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord.


The disease damages the fatty myelin sheath around the brain and the spinal cord leading to formation of scars. The disease has great impact on the nervous system as it affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This makes it difficulty for the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. The never cells communicate by sending electrical signals through the axons which are wrapped in an insulating substance called myelin. In multiple sclerosis the immune system of the body attacks the myelin and damages it. The myelin is lost as a result of the infection and the axons cannot function effectively as they cannot transfer signals.


Thus Multiple sclerosis affects functioning of the nervous system. The treatment of multiple sclerosis has impact on the nervous system. The treatment of multiple sclerosis helps in controlling disability in people infected with multiple sclerosis. Genetic factors play important role in determining who gets multiple sclerosis. If one of the family members has multiple sclerosis then his first degree relatives are likely to get multiple sclerosis. People with multiple sclerosis inherit certain regions on individual chromosomes than people without.


Several genes are linked with multiple scleriosis. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is linked with multiple scleriosis. This gene is found in chromosomes 6 and it increases the probability of suffering multiple sclerosis.