Multiple Sclerosis(MS)also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata is a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). Multiple sclerosis affects neurons, the cells of the brain and spinal cord that carry information, create thought and perception, and allow the brain to control the body. Surrounding and protecting some of these neurons is a fatty layer known as the myelin sheath, which helps neurons carry electrical signals. MS causes gradual destruction of myelin (demyelination) and transection of neuron axons in patches throughout the brain and spinal cord. The name multiple sclerosis refers to the multiple scars (or scleroses) on the myelin sheaths. This scarring causes symptoms which vary widely depending upon which signals are interrupted. Multiple sclerosis (MS) usually affects woman more than men. The disorder most commonly begins between ages 20 and 40, but can strike at any age. People with a family history of MS and those who live in a geographical area with a higher incidence rate for MS have a higher risk of the disease.

Multiple sclerosis affects an estimated 300,000 people in the United States and probably more than 1 million people around the world