Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating condition that affects the brain and/or spinal cord. It causes damage to the substance that covers the the nerve cells, interrupting communication between them. As a result problems arise with the person’s mobility and speech. While there’s no concrete evidence to confirm it, scientists now think MS may be caused by an autoimmune disease.
What is an autoimmune disease?
This kind of disease develops when a person’s immune system starts to attack its own organs and tissues. Autoimmune diseases affect various parts of the body. Here are some examples:
- Pernicious anaemia. This develops when the immune system produces antibodies that stop vitamin B12 from being absorbed from food.
- Type 1 diabetes: This condition affects certain cells in the pancreas meaning not enough insulin can be produced to regulate the blood sugar within the body.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: With this condition various joints and organs become inflamed. While the cause is still unknown, the abnormal immune function and presence of antibodies points to it being an autoimmune disorder.
Are there triggers for autoimmune disease?
The most common trigger of autoimmune diseases is thought to be partly due to genetics. However, it's also triggered by other factors such as certain environmental exposures (i.e. cigarette smoke) or an infection.
Are there triggers for MS?
Through previous research, experts have discovered a number of potential triggers for MS, including chronic infection. However, on the flip side, some experts suggest MS is primarily a genetic neurological disease which challenges the idea that it’s an autoimmune disease.
Other studies have suggested that head injuries may be a risk factor for MS. The problem with this theory is that it’s difficult to test. However, researchers have managed to complete one new study by looking back into people with MS’ medical history to see if they had any conclusions and then compared them with people of a similar age and gender that don’t have MS.
The study involved more than 7,000 MS patients and more than 70,000 who did not have MS but were similar in other ways (i.e. gender, or age). While comparing the results, researchers looked for a history of concussion occurring before the age of 20. They also noted any subjects that had ever broken a bone in either the upper or lower extremities before the age of 20.
Results from the study showed:
- * no link between the risk of MS and broken arms or legs.
- * there was a 22% higher rate of MS cases in those that had suffered a concussion between the age of 10 and 20, opposed to those that hadn’t experienced any.
- * the rate of MS cases more than doubled for those who experienced multiple concussions.
