My
name is Daniela
The missing
impulse
Multiple Sclerosis
Glossary
GLOSSARY.
(1) - Central nervous system:
System of organs that includes encephalon (cerebrum and cerebellum) and
spinal cord. It is constituted by a very high number of nervous cells or
neurons.
(2) - Autoimmune pathology: pathology due to the challenge of
some immune system components of the patient against “self” components
of the same patients recognized, wrongly, as” non-self “.
(3) - Neurons: they are the nervous cells. A neuron consist of a
cellular body from which two types of cytological semi-cylindrical
extensions rise: Dendrites which collect the impulses from others
surrounding neurons and a unique axon responsible of the conduction of
the action potential to other neurons or muscular cells.
(4) - Peripheral nervous system: it represents that part of the
nervous system constituted by spinal nerves which emerge from nervous
roots localized laterally to the spinal cord and innervate the muscles
and by the autonomous nervous system which innervate the viscera, glands,
heart, kidney and so on.
(5) - Spinal Cord: part of the CNS within the vertebral canal;
The spinal cord is a long cylindrical cord from which originate 32 pairs
of spinal nerves, essential for the contraction of all the muscles to
which the nerves distribute. The nerves are myelinated axon bundles
originated from spinal cord neurons.
(6) – Paraparesis: strong limitation of the motility of both legs
due to the spasticity
(7) – Spasticity: it consists of increased muscle tone with
muscular spasms and involuntary, spontaneous, long-lasting,
uncontrollable contractions denominated mioclonus
(8) - Mioclonus: involuntary and rhythmic contractions in
response to a sudden and persistent stretching
(9) - Immune system: it is composed by the cells which defend the
organism from the challenges of pathogens and microorganisms (virus,
bacteria, fungi ). It consists of Lymphocytes ( T and B), Granulocytes (eosinophils,
basophils, neutrophils), Monocytes, Mastocytes. These cells interact in
a very complex manner mounting inflammatory responses against the
microorganism or the foreign substances.
<next>
