Christina Applegate - the actress recently diagnosed with MS. What is MS?

Christina Applegate, the actress recently diagnosed with MS? After Selma Blair who was diagnosed with MS or Multiple Sclerosis back in August 2018, this time actress Christina Applegate opened up about being diagnosed with MS last week and it created a buzz online, a curiosity about what MS or Multiple Sclerosis is? We all know Christina Applegate from the sitcom titled “Married… With Children” where she played the character of Kelly Bundy. Now, let’s understand what she has been suffering from and what she has been through and find the answer to some questions like what is MS, how it occurs, the signs and symptoms of MS, and how one gets diagnosed with MS.

What is MS or Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Autoimmune diseases are those in which the body’s immune system that is meant to protect the body from invading microorganisms starts attacking the cells of the body. In the case of MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, a layer that covers up the axons, the long tail-like part of the nerve cells (imagine it like the plastic covering that we have over electrical wires) in the brain and the spinal cord. This leads to disruption and damage to signal transmission through the nerves and results in various symptoms which we will learn about soon.

What causes MS or Multiple Sclerosis?

Well, the exact cause of what triggers the autoimmunity is not known. However genetic predisposition (history of MS in the family), deficiency of Vitamin D, exposure to Epstein-Barr viruses in early childhood, and cigarette smoking has been implicated as potential risk factors for developing MS later on in life.

Symptoms of MS or Multiple Sclerosis?

MS usually occurs between the ages of 20-40 years and the rate of occurrence is higher in females compared to males. The signs and symptoms of MS vary widely from person to person. Common symptoms of MS include:

• Sensory Symptoms: Numbness, tingling, pins, and needles sensation, burning pain sensation; especially in the limbs
• Eye Symptoms: Double vision, blurry vision, decreased color perception, pain in eyes which increases on eye movement, and sometimes loss of vision. One-sided blurring of vision while taking a hot shower (Uhthoff’s Symptom), is also seen in MS
• Weakness of limbs and face
• Unsteady gait often leading to fall
• Fatigue
• Slurred Speech
• Electric Shock-like sensation radiating down the back to legs on the movement of neck (Lhermitte’s Symptom)
• Problems with sexual function like impotency, bowel and bladder dysfunction
• Seizures or Epilepsy

(See a doctor if you are experiencing any of the above features)

How Multiple Sclerosis or MS diagnosis is confirmed?

Based on the symptoms the doctor may order various tests for confirming MS diagnosis, the most important being an MRI Scan of the brain and spinal cord. Other test includes testing for Evoked Potentials (visual, auditory and somatosensory) and examination of Cerebrospinal Fluid. The MRI finds and Clinical history is run against something called McDonald Criteria for MS, to see if it satisfies the criteria. And if it does, MS diagnosis can be said to be confirmed.

Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis

A wide range of treatment modalities is there for MS, to name a few are steroids, interferon beta, fingolimod, natalizumab, dimethyl furoate (DMF), Ocrelizumab. Many more drugs are under development as well.

Coming back to Christina Applegate; well she have developed a disease with debilitating consequences, but with the right therapy, people like her suffering from MS or Multiple Sclerosis, the progression of the disease can be slowed down and they can have a fairly good life for a prolonged period.