Effects on the body
In MS, the body's defences attacks its own nerves. This process is based on a dysregulation of the immune system that normally defends the body against infection, e.g. a cold.
Processes taking place in the body of someone with MS
The exact cause of MS is still unknown. The disease may be related to genetic factors and/or a virus infection. In either case, the function of the body changes in such a way that the body’s nerve tissue is attacked by its own defences. The symptoms of MS arise due to the destruction of myelin, the surrounding insulating tissue of the nerves.
Dysregulation of T cells
A dysregulation of the immune system results in the body attacking its own nerve tissue. Certain defence cells, called T cells, are activated and trigger these attacks. Normally these T cells are involved in defending against infectious external agents such as viruses and bacteria
T cells attack brain cells
As soon as the T cells are activated, they can penetrate the brain with its countless nerve cells. In the brain the T cells are stimulated to attack the nerve cells. The attacks cause damage to the insulating nerve sheath, the myelin layer.
Macrophages consume myelin
The highly stimulated T cells in the brain are responsible for damage to the myelin sheath, since they activate the other defence cells called macrophages. The macrophages “consume” the myelin sheaths surrounding the nerves. As a result, there are holes in the myelin that lead to a slower transmission of impulses along the nerve fibre pathways. This slower transmission generates the typical symptoms common in MS.
