Multiple Sclerosis Exam Questions with Answers

Multiple Sclerosis Exam Questions with Answers What is multiple sclerosis? - Answer-autoimmune disease of the CNS immune system attacks myelin, which surrounds and insulates nerves, causing distorsion/interruption of nerve impulses going to or from the brain What age range is most commonly diagnosed? - Answer-patients between ages of 20 and 50, but it can occur in young children + elderly three times more common in women than men more prevalent among caucasians than other ethnicities Does MS have a genetic component? - Answer-It is believed so because people having a first relative affected with the disease have a higher incidence than the general population What causes MS? - Answer-exact cause is unknown believed to be any combination of immunologic, environmental, infectious, or genetic factors possible role of viruses in the cause of MS (unproven) What happens when the immune system attacks the myelin of the CNS? - Answer- causes inflammation and degeneration of the myelin and can lead to demyelination, or stripping of the myelin covering of the nerves. It can also cause scarring. This causes electrical impulses to travel more slowly along the nerves resulting in deterioration of function in body processes such as vision, speech, walking, writing, and memory Is MS inherited? - Answer-it is not hereditary, but genetics are believed to play a role an outside trigger is believed to be the primary cause What are the four types of MS? - Answer-Relapsing-remitting (RR MS) Primary-progressive (PP MS) Secondary-progressive (SP MS) Progressive-relapsing (PR MS) Which is the most common type of MS? - Answer-Relapsing-remitting (RR MS), affects 85% of those who have MS What is RR MS - Answer-defined by inflammatory attacks on the myelin and nerve fibers causing a worsening of neurologic function symptoms vary from patient to patient symptoms can flare up (relapses or exacerbations) unexpectedly and then disappear (remission) What are the most common symptoms of RR MS? - Answer-fatigue, numbness, problems with vision, muscle spasms or stiffness, bowel and bladder function problems, cognitive difficulties PP MS - Answer-characterized by steady worsening of neurologic functioning, without any relapses or remissions may be occasional plateaus, but overall the progression of the disability is continuous occurs equally in men and women age of onset is about 10 years later than in relapsing-remitting MS Secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SP-MS) - Answer-a form of MS that follows relapsing-remitting MS. The majority of people diagnosed with RR-MS will eventually transition to having SP-MS. After a period of relapses (also called attacks, or exacerbations) and remissions the disease will start to progress steadily. People with SP-MS may or may not experience remissions. Progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (PR-MS) - Answer-least common form of MS, occurring in about 5% of patients. People with PR-MS experience steady disease progression and worsening neurological function as seen in primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PP-MS), along with occasional relapses like people with relapsing- remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS). symptoms of MS - Answer-Symptoms may be single/multiple and may range from mild to severe in intensity and short to long in duration. Fatigue Numbness or tingling Weakness Dizziness or vertigo Sexual dysfunction Pain Emotional instability Difficulty walking Muscle spasms Vision problems Bladder or bowel problems Cognitive changes Depression How is MS diagnosed? - Answer-often diagnosed by a process of exclusion - that is, by ruling out other neurological diseases - so the diagnosis of MS may take months to years. A physician will do a complete history and neurological exam, along with tests to evaluate mental, emotional and language functions, strength, coordination, balance, reflexes, gait, and vision. Tests to help confirm diagnosis of MS - Answer-MRI Electrophysiological test Cerebrospinal fluid exam (spinal tap, lumbar puncture) Evoked potential (EP) tests Optical coherence tomography (OCT) Blood tests MRI for MS diagnosis - Answer-Characteristic areas of demyelination will show up as lesions on an MRI scan treating MS - Answer-Modifying the disease - there are several drugs that can reduce the severity and frequency of relapses Treating exacerbations (or attacks) with high dose corticosteroids Managing symptoms Rehabilitation both for fitness and to manage energy levels Emotional support