It is associated with a variety of other primary and secondary symptoms and complications. In general it is compatible with a long and productive life. Over the years after my diagnosis I slowly formed a picture and gained some understanding of the disease. Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease of the white matter of the central nervous system. These areas of sclerosis, also referred to as lesions or plaques, occur in the white matter of the central nervous system.
Gray matter consists primarily of nerve cells.
These nerve cells are the communication system both within the central nervous system and between it and the rest of the body. The lesions or plaques of multiple sclerosis are areas of tissue damage arising from inflammation, which occurs when white blood cells and fluid accumulate around blood vessels. This inflammation causes destruction of myelin. These lesions impede conduction of signals by blocking or slowing communication, either completely or partially and from time to time. The process can be thought of as similar to an electrical short circuit.