Causes

The underlying cause of multiple sclerosis is currently unknown. The disease is thought to result from a combination of factors, including genetics, environmental triggers (such as viruses, trauma, vitamin deficiency, or exposure to heavy metals), and a malfunction of the immune system.

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The many symptoms of MS are believed to be caused by the immune system's attack on the protective myelin sheaths that insulate the nerves of the central nervous system, in both the spinal cord and the brain. The myelin becomes inflamed and destroyed, scar tissue forms, and the signals that ordinarily travel through the nervous system controlling muscle action and sensations are interrupted.