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MS ExplainedGlossary

Aetiology (or etiology in American English)
the study of the causes of a disease

Antibody
chemicals in the immune system that help target the attack on invaders

Antigen
chemicals in the immune system that prompt the generation of antibodies and can cause an immune response

Autoimmune disease
a condition in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissue

Axon
a long extention of a nerve cell along which the nerve message is passed

Blood-brain barrier
the line of cells that keeps cells in the blood from coming into contact with the central nervous system

Central nervous system
the brain and spinal cord

Cerebrospinal fluid
the fluid that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord

Demyelination
the destruction of myelin

Dendrite
extentions of a nerve cell through which incoming messages are received

Epidemiology
the study of the geographical distribution of a condition and patterns of disease as it affects groups of people

Glial cells
support cells in the central nervous system

Incidence
the number of new cases of a condition within a set period of time, usually a year

Interferon
a chemical generated by the immune system to alter the response to an invasion

Lymphocyte
type of white blood cell in the immune system

Macrophage
immune system cell that attacks foreign particles in the body

Myelin
the substance covering nerves in the central nervous system

Neuron
nerve cell

Neurotransmitter
chemicals that pass messages from one nerve cell to the next

Oligodendrocyte
cells in the central nervous system that make myelin

Peripheral nervous system
nerves other than the brain and spinal cord

Prevalence
the number of people with a condition, usually measured in cases per 100,000

Progression
a period of gradual increase in disability unrelated to relapses

Reflex reaction
physical response automatically generated by the spinal cord with no involvement from the brain

Relapse
an episode of new or worsened symptoms

Remission
a period of partial or complete recovery from symptoms

Remyelination
the replacement of myelin

Synapse
the gap between nerve cells across which nerve messages are passed from one cell to the next

More information from the MS Trust
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