When was multiple sclerosis first diagnosed

After she died, he was able to examine her brain and discover the lesions of MS. It was not until the midth century that treatments for symptoms, such as steroids, became available. Only within the last 30 years have there been therapies to treat and slow the progression of MS.

While Charcot was the first to write an extensive description of the disease and its changes to the brain, others have contributed significantly to the understanding of multiple sclerosis. In the early years, all that was known about MS was what could be observed.

At the time, it was believed that the disease was more common in women, it was not directly inherited, and it could produce a variety of neurological symptoms. Over time, MS was discovered to be far more complex and began to be studied more closely. At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists believed that MS was caused by a toxin or poison in the blood. Since most damage from the disease was found around the blood vessels, the theory assumed that toxins circulated in the blood and leaked into the brain.

It also became the model used to develop disease-modifying therapies. In the early years of MS research, there was no significant or standard treatment. Treatment consisted mostly of rest and avoiding heat. Diagnosing the disease took years of observation. While there is no cure for MS, today there are treatments to help reduce the number of relapses and slow the progression of the disease. Treatment for MS includes:. Today, diagnosing MS is accomplished using the McDonald criteria, which primarily look for lesions in the brain.

Physicians and neurologists also use MRIs , spinal taps , and other neurological exams to assist in diagnosing MS. The observation that women are more likely to develop MS was clear from early studies of the disease in the 19th century, but advancements have been able to show possible reasons why.

Sex hormones such as estrogen , progesterone , prolactin, and androgen have all been observed to have an effect on the frequency and course of the disease. These hormones influence many biological processes in women.

This may explain certain risk factors for women to develop MS, including:. Though there is no cure for MS, there is hope for the future. In the last 10 years, several new drugs have been approved to treat MS and slow its progression.

The understanding of autoimmune diseases is increasing, and scientists are constantly conducting research to develop new treatment options, understand the cause of MS, and shorten the time to diagnosis. Although living with an unpredictable disease like MS can be difficult, you can still maintain a strong quality of life. In , James Dawson, a doctor in Scotland, described the inflammation and damage to myelin he saw when he looked at brain cells from people with MS under a microscope.

The cells that make myelin — oligodendrocytes — were identified in ; and in , researchers identified the composition of myelin. A major development in the fight against MS occurred in , when the National Multiple Sclerosis Society was founded. Overwhelmed by the response, she gathered friends and advisers and started the society to raise money to support MS treatment research.

The first research grant was awarded to Columbia University microbiologist Elvin Kabat, PhD, who went on to discover the abnormal proteins present in the spinal fluid of people with MS. During World War II, researchers used information gleaned from the large population of men serving in the military to study the causes of MS. They discovered that MS is more prevalent among people who live in northern climates. Crick and Watson won the Nobel Prize, and their research led others to study how genes control biologic functions and how gene sequences regulate the immune system — research that later became relevant to the study of MS and many other conditions.

This discovery led to the first trial of a potential therapy, the anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressing hormone ACTH, or adrenocorticotropic hormone. The development of imaging techniques in the s further advanced knowledge of MS. CAT scans and magnetic resonance imaging MRI , also developed during the s, enabled researchers to see the brain in greater detail and thus develop better MS therapies.

Charcot was a French scientist, instructor, and physician who is claimed by some to be the founder of modern neurology. He lived during the s and Sigmund Freud was among the famous students he inspired. Work on magnetic resonance imaging MRI developed during the s and in the first MRI cross section of a human head was created.

MRI produced much clearer and more accurate images than CT scans and the role of the technique in observing MS was quickly recognised. The process was improved further in when gadolinium was developed as a marker that, when injected before a scan, made it possible to distinguish between active lesions and previous areas of scarring.

The proteins found in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord CNS indicate active inflammation and damage happening to the nerves. While these can be seen in a lumbar puncture, the process of having a lumbar puncture can be very unpleasant, and is not normally something that people with MS want to repeat too often.

However, checking neurofilament levels can indicate how active your MS is, and how well it is responding to treatment. Recently, studies have begun to map out how the concentrations of neurofilaments in the CNS relate to the levels of neurofilaments in blood serum. The hope is to be able to diagnose and track MS activity using a blood test, instead of a lumbar puncture. It is only with the help of our donors, supporters and volunteers that we can continue training MS specialists, funding vital research and providing trusted information to the , people living with MS across the UK.

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