For most people, the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis is a frightening one, even if they know that their condition might be MS before they are diagnosed. Nevertheless, most people fear the effects that MS will have on their bodies long term. Spasticity, weakness, urinary dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, pain, visual dysfunction, paroxysmal spasms, pathological laughing or crying, depression and cognitive impairment are some of the symptoms and effects that MS will have on their bodies long term.


However, the most affected, or better said, the primarily affected organ is the brain. Multiple Sclerosis is a demylinating disease - which means that the myelin coating around the axons and neurons is affected by this condition. Because there is a lot of myelin in the brain, the brain suffers most damage. This is why MRIs are used in the diagnosis of MS – the demyelination creates brain lesions that are clearly seen on an MRI.

Long answer short, multiple sclerosis affects the brain by destroying the myelin coating around the axons and neurons, which leads to poor nervous signals transmission, which in turn leads to all the symptoms mentioned above.