Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the last stage of human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, a viral disease that slowly destroys the
body’s immune system. AIDS is typically diagnosed when a person’s number of
immune system CD4 cells, or T-cells, drops below 200. When a person is
diagnosed with AIDS, he or she also has become affected by diseases and
conditions, possibly including cancer, which may attack the body in the absence
of a strong, uncompromised immune system.
Autoimmune disease
An autoimmune disease is one in which the immune system attacks the body’s
own tissues.
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are scientific studies involving humans that help
researchers gain a better understanding of how new treatments and vaccines
work. In a clinical trial, researchers hope to answer questions about the new
treatment, as well as to evaluate its safety and efficacy. There are ethical
and legal regulations that clinical trials in the United States are expected to
follow.
Cognitive difficulties
Cognitive difficulties are problems with cognitive functioning, which
include the intellectual activities of thinking, reasoning, remembering,
imagining, or learning words.
Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease is a disorder that causes parts of the digestive tract to
become inflamed and swell. Crohn’s most commonly affects the lower small
intestine, or the ileum, but it can affect any portion of the digestive tract.
The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are diarrhea and abdominal
pain.
Genetic predisposition
Having a genetic predisposition to a condition, disorder, or disease means
that a person’s inherited genetic composition makes it more likely that he or
she will develop that condition, disorder, or disease. If the genetic makeup of
potential parents makes it likely that their child will be predisposed to a
serious genetic disorder, genetic counseling with a healthcare provider is
usually recommended.
Glatiramer acetate
Glatiramer acetate is a treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
(MS) that may extend the amount of time between relapses.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gradually destroys the body’s immune
system, thereby leaving the body open to attack by other viruses, bacteria, or
other harmful foreign substances. After HIV has destroyed a certain amount of
the body’s immune system, the infection progresses to Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). To date, there is no way for HIV to be completely
eradicated once it enters the body.
Immune system
The immune system protects the body against potentially harmful substances,
also called antigens. When the immune system detects an antigen, it initiates
the immune response. This is a complex series of events that work together to
eliminate the threat the antigen poses to the body.
Immunomodulators
Immunomodulators are a type of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment that can be
used in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Immunomodulators
work to alter a patient’s immune system so that the MS disease course may
change. This may result in fewer and less severe multiple sclerosis symptoms,
and also slow the disease’s progression. When immunomodulators work, they can
reduce a patient’s chances of disability, and thereby have the potential to
enhance future quality of life.
Infusion
An infusion is the process of flowing a solution into the body, usually
through a vein.
Interferon
Interferon is a protein the human body produces to help defend cells against
viral attacks. Certain types of interferon can be used in the treatment of
chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis (MS), and some
types of cancer.
Lesions
An MS lesion, or plaque, is an area of the central nervous system’s myelin
sheath that has started to deteriorate. This process is also called
demyelination. An MRI test can be used to create an image of the MS lesion.
Leukemia
Leukemia is cancer of the blood that occurs when bone marrow begins to
produce abnormal white blood cells, or leukemia cells. These abnormal cells
eventually begin to outnumber other cells in the blood, making it difficult for
the blood to do its job in the body properly. There are many different types of
leukemia, each named for the type of leukemia cell most present in the
body.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, a
part of the body’s immune system. The lymphatic system includes lymph nodes,
the spleen and bone marrow. When a person has lymphoma, the lymphocytes, or
white blood cells, in the lymphatic system become lymphoma cells. The lymphoma
cells then reproduce to create lymphoma cell masses, which can crowd out and
hinder the other, healthy cells working in that part of the body.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a method of creating images of the
inside of the body. MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to produce these
images. Along with other devices, MRI may help confirm or determine a
diagnosis. MRI can be particularly helpful when diagnosing disorders of the
brain or spine because they can provide detailed pictures of certain regions of
the body that are difficult to see using other types of scanning devices.
Mechanism of action
A mechanism of action describes the physical and chemical processes that
bring about a particular action or reaction. For example, the mechanism of
action of a drug details how exactly the drug reacts with body cells, tissue,
or organs to produce the intended outcome.
MS fatigue
Multiple sclerosis fatigue is a type of fatigue that can affect 75% to 95%
of multiple sclerosis patients, and can affect a person’s ability to complete
simple, daily tasks. It may occur because the energy required for him or her to
move or breathe is far greater than the energy a non-MS patient would need to
do the same thing. This can leave a patient completely exhausted. There are
energy-conserving techniques related to fatigue due to mobility and respiratory
problems that a patient can learn to help him or her treat MS fatigue. If these
don’t help, the fatigue may be classified as primary MS fatigue. This is
normally treated with a variety of lifestyle changes.
It may take some time to diagnose and treat MS fatigue because of the need
to eliminate all other possible diagnoses, and to work out a viable treatment
plan.
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
It is thought to be an autoimmune disease, and it is characterized by the
demyelination, or destruction, of myelin sheath. Myelin sheath is the
protective covering for the nerve fibers of the central nervous system, and
helps the nerve fibers transmit electrical impulses between different parts of
the body. When myelin sheath is destroyed in MS, messages between different
parts of the body are not transmitted as effectively. After the myelin is
destroyed, scar tissue called sclerosis is left behind in the damaged areas,
which are referred to as lesions or plaques. This damage to the nervous system
can result in a myriad of symptoms, including vision problems and difficulty
with muscle movement, coordination, and balance.
There are four clinical types of MS: relapsing-remitting,
primary-progressive, secondary-progressive, and progressive-relapsing.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): Primary-progressive
Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) accounts for about 10% of MS
diagnoses. This type of MS is characterized by a slow and steady worsening of
central nervous system functioning, the symptoms of which include difficulty
with balance, movement, and walking, and loss of vision. There are no flare-ups
or exacerbations in primary-progressive MS, but the rate of disease progression
occasionally may speed up, slow down, or even temporarily reverse.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): Progressive-relapsing
Progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) affects about 5% of MS
patients. It is characterized by constant disease progression and steady
worsening of disease symptoms, as well as by acute, intermittent flare-ups, or
exacerbations.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): Relapsing-remitting
Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) accounts for about 85% of all
initial MS diagnoses. This type of MS is characterized by isolated relapses,
also known as flare-ups, attacks, or exacerbations. During each relapse, there
is a noticeable worsening of nervous system functioning. The symptoms of this
may include difficulty with balance and movement, dizziness, and fatigue. When
the patient is not having a relapse, he or she is partially or completely
without symptoms.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): Secondary-progressive
Secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) develops in approximately 50%
of relapsing-remitting MS patients within 10 years of the initial diagnosis. In
secondary-progressive MS, the occasional relapses the patient initially
experienced gradually change into constant, steadily worsening symptoms. These
are indicative of the increasing dysfunction of the central nervous system. The
relapses, or flare-ups, may or may not continue, and the patient may experience
intermittent, temporary remission of symptoms.
Myelin sheath
Myelin sheath is the thick, soft, white, fatty layer of protective material
around nerve fibers. This material is called myelin. If the myelin sheath
around nerve fibers deteriorates or is destroyed, it can interfere with the
fibers’ ability to transmit messages successfully from one part of the body to
another.
Nerves
Nerves transmit messages between different parts of the body, including the
brain, organs, muscles, and joints. Each nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers.
Nerve fibers are comprised of processes called axons and dendrites. These
processes can be either afferent or efferent. Afferent processes lead toward
the brain and transmit sensory stimuli to the brain from other parts of the
body. Efferent processes lead away from the brain and direct bodily
contractions, or movements.
Neuron
The neuron is the type of cell that makes up nervous tissue. It consists of
a nucleus and processes. The processes include axons and dendrites. Neurons
transit impulses to and from the nervous tissue.
Nocturia
Nocturia is the frequent need to awaken and urinate at night. People
with nocturia may get up six or more times per night to urinate. Treatment for
nocturia may involve medication and testing to determine underlying causes.
Organ transplantation
Organ transplantation involves removing part or all of an organ from one
body and transferring it to another body.
Placebo
A placebo is an inactive substance used in controlled experiments, such as
clinical trials that are evaluating the efficacy and safety of a drug. While
one group of experiment subjects is given the drug being investigated, another
group is given the placebo. This placebo group is used as an untreated, similar
population against which the treated group is compared.
Shingles (Herpes zoster)
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that affects adults. It is
caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox in
children. When a person has shingles, he or she will break out in a painful
rash on a portion of the body. Shingles is often triggered by stress in adults
that had chickenpox as children, but it can also appear in people with weakened
immune systems. This may include patients taking therapies that suppress the
immune system, HIV/AIDS patients, and patients with certain types of
cancer.
Spasticity
Spasticity is muscle stiffness and an inability to control the affected
muscles. Treatment for spasticity may include physical and occupational
therapy, as well as medication. Spasticity is one of the most common symptoms
of multiple sclerosis (MS).
White blood cells
White blood cells, or leukocytes, defend the body by attacking and
destroying antigens, such as viruses, bacteria and other infections. They are
produced in the bone marrow and are always present in the body. However, the
number of white blood cells will usually increase significantly when they are
fighting a disease or infection. The five types of white blood cells are
lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils.
A person’s white blood cell count can be measured, and is sometimes used to
determine if the body has an infection, or to find out if the body’s immune
response is working properly.
