Multiple Sclerosis Study Guide Questions and Answers

Multiple Sclerosis Study Guide Questions and Answers Multiple Sclerosis - Answer-An autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the myelin sheath surrounding the nerves of the CNS Relapsing-Remitting MS - Answer-The most common type of MS. Characterized by a series of attacks followed by a partial or complete disappearance of symptoms. Symptoms of MS - Answer-Impaired motor skills, fatigue, dizziness, blurry vision, tingling, numbness, shuffling gait Why is MS hard to diagnose? - Answer-Plaques may not appear until the disease has progressed for some time, symptoms come and go and are often not specific to MS, patients usually wait till a lot later to go see the doctor Visual Field - Answer-The total area seen by the eye Visual Acuity - Answer-Measuring the smallest area read on a standard eye chart when standing at a predetermined distance CT scan - Answer-X-ray pictures that produce cross-sectional images of the body MRI scan - Answer-Images produced by magnetism and radio waves. More detailed than a CT Lumbar Puncture - Answer-Insertion of a needle into the spinal column to withdraw CSF fluid for testing. Proteins are elevated in the CSF in MS Evoked Potential - Answer-An evoked potentials test records the time it takes for a sensory stimulus to reach the brain. An EEG is done to show the brain waves, the stimuli will take a lot longer to travel in nerves where plaque has formed Steroids - Answer-Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to shorten the duration of acute attacks