Symptoms develop as nerve conduction slows and then fails completely. The typical attack is relatively sudden in onset, persists for 3 to 12 weeks then clears. Memory and attention deficits also occur. Classically, MS is characterized by periods of remissions and exacerbations that occur at unpredictable intervals over a period of several years with initial episodes tending to resolve completely. It is the accumulated burden of multiple attacks that causes persistent symptoms.
Treatment is directed against the underlying disease process and toward alleviating symptoms.