Did you know ...

• Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world.
• MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
• Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS.
• Women are more than three times as likely to develop MS as men.
• MS can cause loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision, and paralysis.
• MS was first identified and described by a French neurologist, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot, in 1868.
• We don't know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer.

1. What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord.  The disease attacks the protective myelin covering of the central nervous system, causing inflammation and often destroying the myelin in patches.  In its most common form, MS has well defined attacks followed by complete or partial recovery. The severity of MS, progression and specific symptoms cannot be predicted at the time of diagnosis.

2. Who gets multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis can occur at any age.  It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 to 40, during the career and family building years.  It can make its first appearance in young children and in older adults.  MS is more than three times as likely to occur in women than in men and is seen most commonly in people of northern European background.

3. What are some common MS symptoms?

MS symptoms are unpredictable and vary greatly from person to person.  Symptoms may include: vision disturbances such as double or blurred vision; extreme fatigue; loss of balance; problems with coordination; stiffness of muscles; speech problems; bladder and bowel problems; short-term memory problems, and even partial or complete paralysis.  Please keep in mind, not all people with MS will experience all symptoms and often the symptoms will improve during periods of remission.

4. Why do MS symptoms develop?

MS attacks the protective covering — myelin — of the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation and often damaging the myelin in patches. When this happens, the usual flow of nerve impulses along nerve fibres (axons) is interrupted or distorted.  The result may be the wide variety of MS symptoms, depending upon what part or parts of the central nervous system are affected.  The damaged parts of myelin are often called “lesions” or “plaques”.  There also is evidence that permanent damage to nerve fibres may occur in association with the attack on myelin.

5. What causes MS?

We do not know as yet what causes MS.  Most researchers believe that MS is an autoimmune disease.  For reasons that are still unclear, the body’s immune system malfunctions and starts attacking the myelin which protects the central nervous system.  There is some evidence that MS may be triggered by a common virus, and that certain people are more susceptible to developing MS because of genetic factors.  There is no evidence, however, that MS is a directly inherited disease.  A number of genes are probably involved in making some people more susceptible to MS.

6. How many people have MS?

An estimated 55,000-75,000 Canadians have multiple sclerosis. Prevalence rates range from one MS case per 500 people to one in 1,000 across the country.  Canada is a high risk area for the disease, which occurs more often in countries, like Canada that are further away from the equator.  The MS Society estimates, based on current prevalence rates, that approximately 1,000 new cases of MS are diagnosed each year, which means three more people are diagnosed with MS everyday in Canada.

7. Is multiple sclerosis fatal?

MS is not a fatal disease for the vast majority of people with MS.  Most people who have MS can expect to live a normal or near normal life span, thanks to improvements in the treatment of symptoms and in other therapies for people with MS.

8. Does MS change over time?

Most people are diagnosed with the relapsing-remitting form of MS. Over time, some people in this category develop secondary-progressive MS while others may have mild attacks but do not worsen. They are considered to have benign MS.

9. Are there treatments for MS?

Since 1995, four medications have been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS.  One is approved for secondary-progressive MS, and one is approved for people at high risk of developing MS.  The treatments have been shown in clinical trials to actually modify the course of the disease.  They decrease the frequency and severity of MS attacks, reduce the number of MS lesions in the brain, and several have been shown to slow the progression of disability.  Treatment early in the disease is recommended because of recent studies showing the presence of early axonal damage.  Also important are therapies which are available to help MS symptoms such as spasticity, bladder problems, pain, and fatigue.

10. Is MS contagious?

No, MS is not contagious, nor is it directly inherited although research studies now underway are suggesting that genetic factors make certain people more susceptible to developing MS.

11. Is there hope for a cure?

Absolutely.  Researchers are learning more about what causes MS everyday and zeroing in on ways to prevent it.  Research funded by the MS Society of Canada funded and its related MS Scientific Research Foundation is targeting these areas:

• Repair damaged myelin and nerve fibres — Since the central problem in MS is the destruction of myelin, a crucial focus is to find a way to stop the damage and stimulate myelin regrowth Another important research area is the repair injured nerve fibres.
• Immune system — The immune system attacks the body’s myelin so it is vital to understand what triggers that attack and to find ways to block it.  The current MS therapies have been developed from immune system research efforts.
• Virus research — Some investigators think that a number of common viruses may trigger MS attacks.  Work is underway to identify them.
• Genetics — Significant progress is being made in understanding how genes may contribute to the development of MS.  The world’s largest study of genetic susceptibility is taking place in Canada.
• MRI studies — Since the 1980s, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to allow investigators to see into the living brain and to detect MS lesions.  MRI allows for faster diagnosis of MS and, equally important, faster evaluation of potentially useful MS therapies.  Canadian scientists are leaders in this field.
• Health research - This program funds research that seeks to find the overall determinants of health and that helps people with MS to better cope with the disease.  Areas funded include: epidemiology, health economics and psycho-social and behavioural issues.

Courtesy of the MS Society of Canada