Sample Solution

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, central nervous system disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by damage to the myelin sheath, which covers axons of nerve cells in the brain and spine. This damage interferes with communication between neurons and other parts of the body (Lambert et al., 2019).

The pathophysiology of MS can be broken down into three main stages: inflammation, demyelination, and axonal degeneration. In the first stage, inflammatory cells infiltrate areas of the CNS where they become activated and secrete cytokines that trigger further inflammation. This results in increased permeability of blood vessels surrounding neurons leading to edema or swelling within tissues (Lambert et al., 2019). The second stage involves demyelination or destruction of mature myelin sheaths as a result of both inflammatory processes and autoimmunity; this leads to slower conduction along nerve fibers due to decreased insulation on axons. Finally, there tends to be progressive axonal degeneration resulting from prolonged periods without remyelination (Kleiter & Narayanan, 2015).

Clinically significant signs and symptoms associated with MS include fatigue, cognitive dysfunction such as impaired memory or attention deficits, vision problems including blurred vision or color blindness; sensory disturbances such as numbness tingling in arms/legs; motor impairments such as weakness or spasticity; bladder/bowel incontinence issues; sexual dysfunction; pain syndrome related to muscle stiffness among others (Lambert et al., 2019).