Multiple Sclerosis Flashcards
Multiple sclerosis predominantly affects which sex?
Female
The average age of onset for multiple sclerosis is:
20-40 years of age.
Low levels of which vitamin is an environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis?
Vitamin D
The three clinical phenotypes of MS are:
- Relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS)
- Secondary progressive MS (SP-MS)
- Primary progressive MS (PP-MS)
The most common clinical phenotype of MS is:
Relapsing-remitting MS
Relapsing-remitting MS is characterised by:
Intermittent exacerbation, with symptoms remitting almost completely between exacerbations.
Secondary progressive MS
A progression of RR-MS characterised by continuous worsening of neurological function that occurs independently of exacerbation events.
Primary progressive MS disease progression
Symptoms continuously worsen from the onset of the disease.
Pathophysiology of MS
Activation of autoreactive T-lymphocytes → inflammatory processes → focal demyelination with partial preservation of axons (acute plaques) → loss of axons and oligodendrocytes (chronic plaques)
The most common earliest manifestation of MS is:
Optic neuritis
Optic neuritis is typically:
Unilateral
On physical examination, optic neuritis can be identified by:
a relative afferent pupillary defect (Marcus Gunn pupil)
Symptoms of optic neuritis include:
Ophthalmalgia, impaired vision and colour blindness.
Internuclear ophthalmoplegia is caused by a lesion located:
In the medial longitudinal fasciculus
Internuclear ophthalmoplegia is characterised by:
Ipsilateral medial rectus weakness with intact convergence reflex.
Disconjugate, lateral gaze nystagmus in the contralateral eye.
Usually bilateral.
