BIOS 252 Week 2 Case Study: Multiple Sclerosis

Student Name

Chamberlain University

BIOS-252: Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab

Prof. Name

Date

Week 2 Case Study: Multiple Sclerosis

Required Resources

To complete this case study, it is essential to review the following resources:

Assigned textbook readings
Weekly concept discussions
At least one scholarly source

Scenario/Summary

A 30-year-old female patient, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), visits her neurologist for a routine examination. Her initial symptoms appeared years earlier and seemed minor at first. Initially, she only experienced tingling sensations that caused slight discomfort and eventually subsided. Over time, however, her symptoms progressed. The tingling developed into pain, accompanied by episodes of coordination loss. Each relapse left her with residual neurological deficits, and she no longer fully recovered between flare-ups.

This case highlights the chronic, progressive nature of MS and the importance of understanding its cellular, neurological, and systemic effects.

Deliverables

The following questions address key aspects of MS pathology, symptom progression, and neurological involvement.

What cellular structure is degenerating and rebuilding in MS?

In multiple sclerosis, the myelin sheath surrounding axons undergoes degeneration due to autoimmune attack, primarily targeting oligodendrocytes. The resulting demyelination leads to scar tissue formation (sclerosis), which interrupts the smooth conduction of electrical signals in the central nervous system (CNS) (Saladin, 2019).

Repair occurs through the activity of neural stem cells (NSCs), which generate new oligodendrocytes capable of remyelination. However, the repair process is often incomplete or inadequate in chronic MS. As a result, nerve conduction remains impaired, leading to cumulative neurological dysfunction (Franklin & Ffrench-Constant, 2017).

Does this explain the progression we see with the signs and symptoms? Explain why.

Yes, the cycle of demyelination and incomplete remyelination explains the progressive nature of MS symptoms. As conduction along nerve fibers becomes inconsistent, signal transmission between neurons slows or ceases altogether. This results in varied clinical manifestations depending on the affected CNS region.

For example, lesions in the optic nerve cause visual disturbances, while damage in the cerebellum or spinal cord can lead to tremors, gait instability, and loss of coordination. Over time, repeated inflammatory episodes accumulate permanent damage, leading to worsening disability and persistent symptoms (Myelin, 2022).

When there are issues with neural tissue like this, why do they often look into the eyes?

Physicians frequently assess the eyes when investigating neurological conditions like MS because the optic nerve is an extension of the CNS. MS commonly causes optic neuritis, an inflammatory process that damages the myelin sheath of the optic nerve. Symptoms include blurred or double vision, decreased color perception, eye pain that worsens with movement, and even temporary blindness.

Since the optic nerve is highly vulnerable to demyelination, eye symptoms often represent one of the earliest indicators of MS. Eye examinations, including visual field testing and optical coherence tomography, help detect these changes early in the disease course (Saladin, 2019; Toosy et al., 2014).

Assign the following early symptoms to either the sensory, motor, or autonomic nervous system. Then, describe how MS would cause these symptoms.

Table 1

Early Symptoms of MS and Affected Nervous System

Symptom	System Involved	Pathophysiological Explanation
Dysarthria	Motor (speech system)	In MS, demyelination disrupts neural transmission to the muscles used for speech. This may cause weakness, slurred speech, or impaired articulation, collectively known as dysarthria (Myelin, 2022).
Paresthesia	Sensory system	The immune-mediated destruction of myelin disrupts sensory nerve pathways, producing numbness, tingling, or “pins and needles” sensations in the limbs or face (Myelin, 2022).
Constipation	Autonomic nervous system	MS interferes with communication between the brain and the nerves regulating bowel function. Impaired neural control of the pelvic floor muscles contributes to difficulty in stool passage and chronic constipation (Myelin, 2022).

References

Franklin, R. J. M., & Ffrench-Constant, C. (2017). Regenerating CNS myelin — from mechanisms to experimental medicines. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 18(12), 753–769. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.136

Myelin. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. (2022). Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS/Myelin

Saladin, K. S. (2019). Anatomy & physiology: The unity of form and function (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

BIOS 252 Week 2 Case Study: Multiple Sclerosis

Toosy, A. T., Mason, D. F., & Miller, D. H. (2014). Optic neuritis. The Lancet Neurology, 13(1), 83–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(13)70259-X