MS | Mind Map

Pathophysiology
1. Chronic, progressive, degenerative autoimmune disease of the CNS
2. Attacks myelin of nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord
  1. Causes inflammation and edema
    1. Inflammation and edema resolves leaving diffuse plaques/ lesions
      1. Gliosis in late stages
    2. Damage (demyelination)
      1. Disrupts nerve impulses
Treatment
1. No cure
2. Speed recovery from attacks
  1. Corticosteroids
  2. Plasma exchange
3. Slow progression
  1. Immunosuppressants
  2. Immunomodulators
  3. Other drugs
4. Reduce signs and symptoms
  1. Physical therapy
  2. Other drugs
    1. Antidepressants
    2. Antispasmodic agents
    3. Muscle relaxants
    4. CNS stimulants
    5. Anticonvulsants
    6. NSAIDs, Opioids, Nerve blocks, TCAs
  3. Alternative medicine
    1. Yoga
    2. Meditation
    3. Acupuncture
    4. Massage
  4. Lifestyle modifications
    1. Balanced diet
    2. Regular exercise
    3. Relaxation and stress relief
    4. Cooling down body temperature
  5. Cognitive rehabilitation
    1. Occupational therapy
    2. Speech/language pathology
    3. Neuropsychology
  6. Assistive devices
Symptoms
1. Vision problems
  1. Blurred vision
  2. Double vision
  3. Irregular eye movements
2. Speech/ language problems
  1. Slurring
  2. Scanning/ disrupted speech
  3. Nasal Speech
3. Cognitive dysfunction
  1. Memory
  2. Mood
  3. Attention and concentration
  4. Executive functions
  5. Information processing
4. Spasticity
  1. Muscle stiffness
    1. Difficulty performing tasks
    2. Lack of coordination
  2. Muscle twitching
    1. Uncontrollable spasms
  3. Involuntary crossing of legs
  4. Muscle and joint deformities
  5. Fatigue
    1. Muscle weakness
  6. Inhibited muscle growth
  7. Inhibited protein synthesis
5. Bladder and bowel dysfunction
6. Depression
7. Pain
8. Sexual dysfunction
Types
1. Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS)
  1. Earliest form of MS
  2. Single episode of neurological symptoms
2. Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)
  1. Unpredictable but clearly defined attacks (relapses) where new symptoms appear or existing symptoms worsen
  2. Complete or near complete recovery (remissions) in between attacks
3. Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS)
  1. Less distinction between relapses and remission
  2. Steady progression of disease, sometimes with plateaus
4. Primary-progressive MS (PPMS)
  1. Slow accumulation of disability without defined relapses
  2. May stabilize and have temporary period of improvement but no remission periods
Cause unknown
1. Suggested to be caused by a combination of lifestyle, environmental, genetic and biological factors
2. Higher incidence in women than men (2:1)
3. More prevalent in northern latitudes and caucasians
Diagnosis
1. Blood tests
  1. To rule out other diseases with similar symptoms
2. Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
  1. To test for abnormalities in antibodies and rule out other infections and conditions
3. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  1. Gold standard for diagnosis
  2. To detect tissue damage (lesions) in brain and spinal cord
4. Evoked potential tests
  1. To measure nerve impulses
5. Neurological examination

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	Created by Melissa Dowd over 6 years ago