Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly targets and breaks down the protective coating of nerve cells, called the myelin sheath. This impairs the body’s ability to transmit electrical nerve signals quickly, and results in movement and balance issues, pain, fatigue, vision impairment, numbness, and other symptoms. Approximately 1 million Americans have multiple sclerosis.
Researchers have linked genetics, cigarette smoke exposure, infection with Epstein-Barr virus, being female, and growing up in latitudes far from the equator—where there are lower vitamin D exposures—with an elevated risk of developing MS.
The body’s ability to repair damaged myelin degrades naturally with age, and though MS patients may initially be able to repair some of the myelin breakdown, severe inflammation in the course of this disease can permanently damage nerves, leading to progressive disability and loss of function. The disease has no cure, but existing medications and lifestyle choices may control symptom flare-ups and slow disease progression. New drugs that would assist with remyelination and boost related cellular activities are a current research focus.
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