Multiple Sclerosis Flashcards
Multiple sclerosis, whose name is based on multiple sclerae (multiple glial scars which is what is formed when glial cells (astrocytes) try to repair damaged neurons) is a demyelinating disease. Does this disease affect the CNS or PNS?
- affects CNS, so the brain and spine
- does not affect the PNS
What is the prevalence of multiple sclerosis?
1 - 5-30 / 100,000
2 - 50-300 / 100,000
3 - 500-3000 / 100,000
2 - 50-300 / 100,000
Multiple sclerosis is a common neurological disease that is an immune based disorder. Is it more common in males or females?
- females 3:1 ratio
- common in western world, which is why the link to vitamin D has been made
What is the most common demyelinating disease?
1 - Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
2 - Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
3 - HTLV-I Associated Myelopathy (HAM)
4 - Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
4 - Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
What is the mean age at onset?
1 - 16y/o
2 - 24y/o
3 - 30y/o
4 - 40y/o
3 - 30y/o
Not common in >50y/o
Although there are a myriad of symptoms that patients with multiple sclerosis can present with, what are the most common patterns of disease?
1 - optic neuritis (vision loss, neuritis)
2 - cerebellar (balance, tremor, co-ordination)
3 - spinal cord (muscle weakness, spasticity, bladder/bowel dysfunction)
4 - all of the above
4 - all of the above
Optic neuritis is often the 1st sign
Charcots neurological triad is often present in patients with multiple sclerosis. Which of the following is NOT part of the triad?
1 - dysarthria
2 - intention tremor
3 - nystagmus
4 - vertigo
4 - vertigo
- dysarthria = includes difficulty speaking, eating, swallowing,
Although the specific cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown, which of the following are common risk factors that have been linked?
1 - genetics (aprox 30%)
2 - lifestyle (obesity, smoking)
3 - environment (sun/vit D exposure)
4 - all of the above
4 - all of the above
Which of the following viruses has been strongly linked with multiple sclerosis?
1 - Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
2 - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
3 - Hepatitis A
4 - Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
1 - Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- causes Infectious mononucleosis, more commonly known as mono
- been suggested to be a trigger for MS as most people with MS have had it, but no direct link
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been strongly linked with multiple sclerosis, and can cause infectious mononucleosis, more commonly known as mono. Which of the following is NOT a typical sign of mono?
1 - fever
2 - pharyngitis
3 - hepatitis
4 - lymphadenopathy
3 - hepatitis
The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is typically clinical, but what scoring system is used to do this?
1 - Wells score
2 - Dukes score
3 - McDonald score
4 - MRC scale
3 - McDonald score
- imaging such as MRI can be useful
- Wells score = risk of DVT
- Dukes score = infective endocarditis
- MRC scale = muscle strength score
Multiple sclerosis is an immune mediated demyelinating disease. What immune cell is able to cross the blood brain barrier and enter the brain, that generally would not be present?
1 - B cells
2 - dendritic cells
3 - T cells
4 - neutrophils
3 - T cells
- once in they are activated by myelin
- more T cell receptors on BBB and more T cells enter and attack myelin
Multiple sclerosis is an immune mediated demyelinating disease. What type of hypersensitivity is this disease?
1 - type I (IgE related)
2 - type II
3 - type III
4 - type IV
4 - type IV (4)
- cell mediated/delayed so T cells stimulate inflammation
- damage the myelin in CNS
Once the T cells have crossed the blood brain barrier (BBB) into the brain they are able to release what that causes the BBB to dilate and damage the oligodendrocytes?
1 - IL-1
2 - IL-6
3 - TNF-a
4 - IFN-y
5 - all of the above
5 - all of the above
- B cells are recruited and produce antibodies against myelin
- macrophages use antibodies and phagocytose oligodendrocytes
Multiple sclerosis is an immune mediated demyelinating disease. This is a type 4 hypersensitivity. Does this cause a continuous demyelination?
- No
- Periods of demyelination and remission
- During remission neurons try to repair
- Relapse when demyelination starts again
In a patient who has multiple sclerosis, and has not had any relapse of demyelination, then remyelination can occur. Is this remyelinate as good as the original demyelination?
- no
- not as good and can cause glial scars
- can improve nerve signals, but never as good ad the demyelination
Which of the following is true about relapsing remitting disease in multiple sclerosis?
1 - demyelination occurs
2 - remyelination occurs during bouts of remission
3 - symptoms patients present with are linked with demyelination
4 - all of the above
4 - all of the above
- the bouts between demyelination and remyelination can be months or years
In multiple sclerosis there are bouts of demyelination and remyelination. During remyelination, do patients return to where their original functional baseline?
- no
- always some residual decline
- disability increases with each bout of demyelination
Clinically isolated syndrome, is when patients experience with a single and 1st multiple sclerosis like symptoms for the first time, BUT do not align with the McDonald criteria. Do these patients always go on to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis?
- no
Which of the following is NOT true about secondary progressive multiple sclerosis?
1 - demyelination is constant
2 - relapsing and remitting demyelination
3 - at a specific time point the disease continually develops and there is no remission
4 - disability continually increases
1 - demyelination is constant
What is primary progressive multiple sclerosis?
1 - following initial demyelination patient remains stable
2 - patient has mixture of relapsing remitting disease and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
3 - patient has a continuation of demyelination
3 - patient has a continuation of demyelination
In the image below is a patients with multiple sclerosis sagittal scan from the brain. What are the white area in this image a sign of?
1 - myelinated areas
2 - neuronal cell bodies
3 - unmyelinated areas
4 - glial scars called sclerela
4 - glial scars called sclerela