MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Review Questions and
answers
1. multiple sclerosis is a progressive autoimmune disease characterized by what? (3): -
inflammation
-selective demyelination
-gliosis
2. multiple sclerosis is considered what type of disease?: immune mediated disease - perhaps
autoimmune
3. in MS, the immune system attacks what? (2): -the myelin coating around the nerve in the
central nervous system (brain, SC, optic nerves)
-the nerve fibers themselves
4. MS name comes from what?: the scarring caused by inflammatory attacks at multiple sites in
the CNS
5. MS is not what? (4): -contagious
-directly inherited
-always severely disabling
-fatal (except in rare instances)
6. what causes MS?
when a person who is genetically susceptible encounters a environmental trigger, what is initiated
and what is caused?: -an abnormal immune mediated response is initiated
-causing damage in the CNS (loss of myelin and nerve fiber)
7. in the patients with MS, an abnormal immune-mediated response attacks what? (3): -myelin
nerve coating
-oligodendrocytes
-nerve fibers in the CNS
8. in the patients with MS, an abnormal immune-mediated response attacks myelin nerve coating,
oligodendrocytes, and nerve fibers in the CNS and this response triggers activation of what?:
immune cells (helper T and killer T
cells) that cross the BBB, entering the CNS and initiating a damaging inflammatory cascade of
events
9. what happens in MS?
-T cells cross the BBB into the CNS
-the BBB prevents or slows the passage of undesirable substances from the blood into the CNS
-these T cells release chemicals that rally other immune system forces that attack the myelin coating
around the nerve cells, as well as the cells that manufacture myelin: -this attack causes inflammation
and then destruction
-once the myelin and nerve fibers have been damaged, nerve signals are slowed or stopped
1/7
, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Review Questions and
answers
-MS lesions form, with hardened scars or plaques that may impair normal myelin repair
processes
10.since axonal damage can occur even in the earliest stages of the disease, early treatment with
what should be considered by anyone with a confirmed diagnosis of MS: disease-modifying
medication
11.in MS, white blood cells attack neurons and affect what?: fatty tissues (myelin) around
the nerve fibers in the brain and SC
12.the pathological changes in MS are loss of what and what response?: -loss of myelin sheath
-autoimmune response (T and B cell activation)
13.the pathological changes in MS are release of what and what else? (3): -re- lease of pro-
inflammatory mediator (neuroinflammation)
-excitotoxicity
-gliosis
14. MS
-0/5 strength where there is pathology
-if the plaques are directly in the SC....they will shut it down directly in the left UE
-but if there is white matter in the brain, then it can be right sided cortex, which affects the left UE:
15.the diagnosis of MS requires dissemination in time and space, for space it is evidence of what?:
evidence of scarring (plaques) in at least two separate areas of the CNS (space)
16.the diagnosis of MS requires dissemination in time and space, for time it is evidence that the
plaques occurred when?: at different points in time
17.there is no single test that can determine if a person has MS, but diagnostic criteria includes
what? (2): -2 separate episodes over time
-evidence of 2 or more lesions in separate regions of the brain/SC
18.evoked potentials is a test that are used in the diagnosis of MS and what can we test? (3): -
visual
-somatosensory
-brainstem auditory
19. for visual evoked potentials, this test measures the electrical signals your visual cortex
generates in response to visual stimulation (it helps diagnose issues with your visual pathway):
20.what is the most common symptoms of MS?: fatigue
21.MS symptoms vary between individuals and are unpredictable and what are some possible
symptoms? (5): -heat sensitivity
-paresthesias (tingling, numbness, burning)
2/7
answers
1. multiple sclerosis is a progressive autoimmune disease characterized by what? (3): -
inflammation
-selective demyelination
-gliosis
2. multiple sclerosis is considered what type of disease?: immune mediated disease - perhaps
autoimmune
3. in MS, the immune system attacks what? (2): -the myelin coating around the nerve in the
central nervous system (brain, SC, optic nerves)
-the nerve fibers themselves
4. MS name comes from what?: the scarring caused by inflammatory attacks at multiple sites in
the CNS
5. MS is not what? (4): -contagious
-directly inherited
-always severely disabling
-fatal (except in rare instances)
6. what causes MS?
when a person who is genetically susceptible encounters a environmental trigger, what is initiated
and what is caused?: -an abnormal immune mediated response is initiated
-causing damage in the CNS (loss of myelin and nerve fiber)
7. in the patients with MS, an abnormal immune-mediated response attacks what? (3): -myelin
nerve coating
-oligodendrocytes
-nerve fibers in the CNS
8. in the patients with MS, an abnormal immune-mediated response attacks myelin nerve coating,
oligodendrocytes, and nerve fibers in the CNS and this response triggers activation of what?:
immune cells (helper T and killer T
cells) that cross the BBB, entering the CNS and initiating a damaging inflammatory cascade of
events
9. what happens in MS?
-T cells cross the BBB into the CNS
-the BBB prevents or slows the passage of undesirable substances from the blood into the CNS
-these T cells release chemicals that rally other immune system forces that attack the myelin coating
around the nerve cells, as well as the cells that manufacture myelin: -this attack causes inflammation
and then destruction
-once the myelin and nerve fibers have been damaged, nerve signals are slowed or stopped
1/7
, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Review Questions and
answers
-MS lesions form, with hardened scars or plaques that may impair normal myelin repair
processes
10.since axonal damage can occur even in the earliest stages of the disease, early treatment with
what should be considered by anyone with a confirmed diagnosis of MS: disease-modifying
medication
11.in MS, white blood cells attack neurons and affect what?: fatty tissues (myelin) around
the nerve fibers in the brain and SC
12.the pathological changes in MS are loss of what and what response?: -loss of myelin sheath
-autoimmune response (T and B cell activation)
13.the pathological changes in MS are release of what and what else? (3): -re- lease of pro-
inflammatory mediator (neuroinflammation)
-excitotoxicity
-gliosis
14. MS
-0/5 strength where there is pathology
-if the plaques are directly in the SC....they will shut it down directly in the left UE
-but if there is white matter in the brain, then it can be right sided cortex, which affects the left UE:
15.the diagnosis of MS requires dissemination in time and space, for space it is evidence of what?:
evidence of scarring (plaques) in at least two separate areas of the CNS (space)
16.the diagnosis of MS requires dissemination in time and space, for time it is evidence that the
plaques occurred when?: at different points in time
17.there is no single test that can determine if a person has MS, but diagnostic criteria includes
what? (2): -2 separate episodes over time
-evidence of 2 or more lesions in separate regions of the brain/SC
18.evoked potentials is a test that are used in the diagnosis of MS and what can we test? (3): -
visual
-somatosensory
-brainstem auditory
19. for visual evoked potentials, this test measures the electrical signals your visual cortex
generates in response to visual stimulation (it helps diagnose issues with your visual pathway):
20.what is the most common symptoms of MS?: fatigue
21.MS symptoms vary between individuals and are unpredictable and what are some possible
symptoms? (5): -heat sensitivity
-paresthesias (tingling, numbness, burning)
2/7
