Multiple Sclerosis Flashcards
Is MS a common or rare neurological disease?
common
MS is said to be a disease of _____ people
young
Describe the presentation, severity and prognosis of MS
presentation - diverse
severity - variable
prognosis - uncretain
Are all MS cases similar?
no they are all very different
Where does MS effect in the body?
the CNS
Where in the CNS does MS effect?
white matter
Causes demyelination - ”inflammation”
What is the common course of MS?
relapsing remitting course - presentation of disease symptoms that become worse over time (relapsing), followed by periods of less severe symptoms that do not completely cease (remitting)
What do most patietns with MS develop?
most patients develop progressive disability
What is the prevalence of MS?
Approx 5 new cases per week in Scotland
50-60 new cases per year in Aberdeen
Average GP has 2-4 patients
1-3 of whom are significantly disabled
When does MS usualy present?
symtpoms often first seen 20-40 but can appear later
What is the initial presentation of MS?
relapse - demyelination/“inflammation”
Gradual onset over days
Stabilises days to weeks
Gradual resolution
Partial or complete recovery
After a patient has their first relapse what happens after?
they may make a partial or full recovery and may not have any more symptoms for a long time or may have problems affecting them for a long time
What do the symptoms of a relapse of MS depend upon?
where the inflammation has occured
this means that there is many different presentations
What are the different things that may be experienced during a relapse?
- Optic neuritis
- Sensory symptoms
- Limb weakness
- Brainstem
Diplopia
Vertigo/Ataxia
• Spinal cord
bilateral motor and sensory symptoms
Bladder involvement
What is optic/retrobulbar neuritis?
when your optic nerve becomes inflamed
ON can flare up suddenly from an infection or nerve disease
What may been seen in a patient with optic neuritis?
Subacute visual loss
Pain on moving eye
Colour vision disturbed
Initial swelling optic disc
Optic atrophy seen later
Relative afferent pupillary defect
How long does it take for optic neuritis to resolve?
Usually resolves over weeks
How do you test for optic neuritis?
Light in normal eye causes constriction in both eyes which is normal
but if you shine it in the bad eye then it is very slow to react and looks like it isn’t contracting
What can happen during brainstem relapse?
Cranial nerve involvement - may cause double vision
Pons - internuclear ophthalmoplegia - affected eye shows imapirment of adduction
Cerebellum - vertigo, nystagmus, ataxia
Upper motor neurone signs limbs
Sensory involvement
What is myelitis?
inflammation of the spinal cord which can disrupt the normal responses from the brain to the rest of the body, and from the rest of the body to the brain
Inflammation in the spinal cord, can cause the myelin and axon to be damaged resulting in symptoms such as paralysis and sensory loss
What are the 2 forms of myelitis?
Partial or Transverse (complete)
What does myelitis cause?
Sensory level often with band of hyperaesthesia (excessive physical sensitivity, especially of the skin)
Weakness/upper motor neurone changes below level of demyelination
Bladder and bowel involvement
What is demyelination?
An auto immune process
Activated T cells cross blood brain barrier causing demyelination
Acute inflammation of myelin sheath
Loss of function
Nerve impulses slow or even stop, causing neurological problems.
What happens after the inflammation?
Repair
Recovery of function
What symptoms may be experienced after inflammation?
Post inflammatory gliosis -nonspecific reactive change of glial cells in response to damage to the central nervous system (CNS). proliferation or hypertrophy of several different types of glial cells, including astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes
may have functional deficit
How does demyelination show on a MRI scan?
Lesions or plaques on MRI scan
What is clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)?
no further episodes of relapse
What is MS classed as?
episodes of demyelination disseminated in space and time - so mor than one episode at different locations