Why does the immune system attack the myelin sheath in multiple sclerosis?
T cells become activated in the lymph system and in MS, enter the CNS through blood vessels. Once in the CNS, T cells release chemicals that cause inflammation and damage. This results in damage to myelin, nerve fibers and the cells that make myelin.
How does multiple sclerosis damage neurons?
How does MS damage the nerve cells? During an MS attack, the immune system triggers inflammation along the nerves and at the glial cells. Oligodendrocytes are damaged, and myelin is damaged and stripped away from the axon. This process is called demyelination.
How damage to the myelin interferes with nerve function in the multiple sclerosis?
MS is caused by damage to the myelin sheath. This sheath is the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. When this nerve covering is damaged, nerve signals slow or stop. The nerve damage is caused by inflammation.
Why is myelin attacked in MS?
When the myelin sheath is healthy, nerve signals are sent and received quickly. But if you have MS, your body’s immune system treats myelin as a threat. It attacks both the myelin and the cells that make it. When that happens, the nerves inside the sheath can be damaged.
What happens when myelin sheath is destroyed?
When the myelin sheath is damaged, nerves do not conduct electrical impulses normally. Sometimes the nerve fibers are also damaged. If the sheath is able to repair and regenerate itself, normal nerve function may return. However, if the sheath is severely damaged, the underlying nerve fiber can die.
How does the myelin sheath work?
Myelin is an insulating layer, or sheath that forms around nerves, including those in the brain and spinal cord. It is made up of protein and fatty substances. This myelin sheath allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells. If myelin is damaged, these impulses slow down.
What does the myelin sheath do?
How does multiple sclerosis affect nerve conduction?
—Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disorder that disrupts axonal myelin in the central nervous system. Demyelination produces alterations in saltatory conduction, slowed conduction velocity, and a predisposition to conduction block.
What happens when myelin sheath deteriorates?
What process does multiple sclerosis interfere with?
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a long-lasting disease that can affect your brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves in your eyes. It can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and other basic body functions. The effects are often different for everyone who has the disease.
What attacks myelin in MS?
In multiple sclerosis (MS), the body’s immune system T cells attack the myelin sheath that protects the nerve fibers. The T cells either partially or completely strip the myelin off the fibers, leaving the nerves unprotected and uninsulated.
What does the myelin sheath do in a neuron?
Myelin is an insulating layer, or sheath that forms around nerves, including those in the brain and spinal cord. It is made up of protein and fatty substances. This myelin sheath allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells.
What happens to the myelin sheath in multiple sclerosis?
What Destroys the Myelin Sheath? In multiple sclerosis (MS), the body’s immune system T cells attack the myelin sheath that protects the nerve fibers. The T cells either partially or completely strip the myelin off the fibers, leaving the nerves unprotected and uninsulated.
Why are myelin sheaths important to the central nervous system?
Myelin sheaths are sleeves of fatty tissue that protect your nerve cells. These cells are part of your central nervous system, which carries messages back and forth between your brain and the rest of your body. If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that causes your immune system to attack your central nervous…
How is the central nervous system affected by multiple sclerosis?
In MS, an abnormal immune system response produces inflammation in the central nervous system. This process: Damages/destroys myelin and oligodendrocytes Causes damage to the underlying nerve fiber Produces damaged areas (lesions or scars) along the nerve, which can be detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
What happens to the nerves when myelin is stripped off?
The T cells either partially or completely strip the myelin off the fibers, leaving the nerves unprotected and uninsulated. The nerves are not as able to pass messages from the brain to the other body parts.