Damaged nerves

Multiple sclerosis (MS) was first described in Holland by a 14th century physician. It is a disease in which the nerves of the central nervous system - brain and spinal cord - degenerate. Myelin, which provides a covering or insulation for nerves, improves the conduction of impulses along the nerves and is important for maintaining the health of the nerves. In MS, inflammation causes the myelin to degenerate and eventually disappear. Consequently, the electrical impulses that travel along the nerves decelerate. Late in the disease, the nerves themselves are damaged. As more and more n...