Multiple Sclerosis

• Multiple Sclerosis Overview
• The Central Nervous System and Multiple Sclerosis Causes
• Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Multiple Sclerosis Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medications
• Next Steps
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Support Groups and Counseling
• For More Information
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Related multiple sclerosis articles:
  Multiple sclerosis - on WebMD
  Multiple sclerosis - on MedicineNet

Multiple Sclerosis Overview

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be thought of as an inflammatory process involving different areas of the central nervous system (CNS) at various points in time. As the name suggests, multiple sclerosis affects many areas of the CNS.

• Multiple sclerosis is more common in individuals of northern European descent.
  
  
• Women are more than twice as likely to develop multiple sclerosis as men.
  
  
• Multiple sclerosis usually affects people between the ages of 20 and 50 years, and the average age of onset is approximately 34 years.