Multiple Sclerosis Case Study

Multiple Sclerosis Every good electrician knows, that a building’s wiring is no good if the insulation fails. Not only do exposed wires damage the functionality of a building; they also become a serious safety concern for anyone who walks through that building’s doors. The nerves which make up the body are much like the wires that make up a building. Each nerve in our body has a specific destination to a neuron, as each wire leads to a different “room”. Whether the neuron has an autonomic function (functions not consciously directed such as the heart, lungs, and intestines) or skeletal function (functions that are consciously made to perform desired actions), each contributes to a crucial part of the body’s proper function. To that destination, …show more content…
When that occurs, the destination room can become dysfunctional and no longer useable. Similarly, with multiple sclerosis the protective coatings around a nerve (called myelin sheath) deteriorate. In this case, the organs that make up the body are headed down the same path as the rooms within the building. This damage of the myelin sheath is a result of multiple sclerosis. According to a writer from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, “The name ‘multiple sclerosis’ is derived from this process – multiple (many) since it occurs in a number of places within the nervous system and sclerosis (scars) which means the hardened patches of scar tissue that form over the damaged myelin” (Groetzinger 5). Today, multiple sclerosis is the most common neurologically disabling disease of the central nervous system in young adults (Murray 2). Multiple sclerosis is believed to affect over 2.3 million people worldwide as of 2016, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In the United States, the chance of an individual developing multiple sclerosis is 1 in 750. Studies sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have shown, “It is two to three times more common in woman than men, suggesting that some hormones may also play a significant role in determining susceptibility …show more content…
Furthermore, motion activity has also found to (but is not limited to) improve cognitive functions, sexual function, spasticity, neuropathy, and numbness. A study was conducted in Iran by Bahram Sangelaji in which patients were to repeat ten-minute biking intervals at their maximum speed for as long as they could (Sangelaji 5). After completing the intense exercise, patients scored significantly better on general cognitive tests they had taken previously before the study. A research article published by Inez Wens, found, “The present study showed that 12 weeks of high intensity cardiovascular exercise in combination with resistance training was safe, well tolerated and improved muscle contractile characteristics and endurance capacity, with interval training seemingly superior to continuous training” (Wens 11). The improved functionality of muscle contraction directly improved the lives of the participants of the study; who prior to the clinical trial, lived a sedentary life. This prior disuse-related loss of exercise capacity and muscle strength, in turn, resulted in depression (Wens 2). After the study, the patients felt better about themselves and said they had a higher self-esteem as a result of their increased day to day movement. From all these and similar studies, it is clear that exercise does

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