Immune System Disorders

Multiple Sclerosis: Making a Difference Today

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic, incurable, and often crippling autoimmune disease. Symptoms can come and go, but in many people, it eventually destroys the ability to walk, talk, or even see.

Introduction

For many years, researchers believed the brain was separated from the immune system, a specialized network of cells and proteins that protect the body against foreign invaders like bacteria and parasites. But more recently, they have identified immune cells and proteins in the brain. Now researchers are studying the communication between the immune system and the brain, and exploring how some viruses like HIV and some autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS) attack nerve cells and their connections.

Human and animal studies are helping scientists identify genetic and environmental factors that increase a person’s risk for MS and other immune system disorders. They are also working to improve tests that monitor disease progression, and develop new ways to reverse damage to nerves. New imaging technology is also helping researchers examine how HIV/AIDS affects the brain over time, leading to disease-related dementia.