Vedom’s disease has long been a mystery. Is there any hope for a cure for MS?

Move the speech of the leader of the Socialist Party of Norway. But what does it really mean to be affected by multiple sclerosis?

He sat in a light blue shirt on a wooden chair peeled from his own farm, on the edge of the platform. Then Trygve Slagsvold Vedum dropped the bomb.

The Center Party leader has been praised by colleagues and political organizations for his openness. Norway has a finance minister with MS. One diagnosis, two letters. What does it really mean to have multiple sclerosis?

1. What exactly is MS?

multiple sclerosis (MS) It is a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). An autoimmune disease is a type of “self-attack”. The body mistakenly starts attacking healthy cells and tissues — over and over again. When the immune system attacks, inflammatory reactions occur. Thus patients develop areas of inflammation in various locations in the brain and/or spinal cord.

Nerve fibers in a healthy person look like this:

This happens in a person with MS:

2. What are the signs of the disease?

symptoms Fatigue, poor balance, numbness, and vision problems are often present.

Some eventually have great difficulty walking and are forced to use a wheelchair. About 13,000 Norwegians suffer from the disease. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40.

3. What is an “attack”?

From the stage and in interviews on Friday, Widome spoke of several instances of what he called “attacks” Spring and summer 2020.

– He said that I lost my balance and could neither stand nor walk.

About 85 percent of people with multiple sclerosis are affected by such “attacks” – which subsequently lead to an exacerbation of symptoms. After each attack, symptoms may clear up again and go away for months or years. This is especially common early in the disease.

4. “Northern Disease” – or?

The disease has traditionally been more prevalent in Northern Europe. Oral thrush lives “Nordic disease”. Researchers have found more than 200 genes that influence a person’s susceptibility to MS. These genes are common in our part of the world.

– But these differences between the North and the South have diminished, Elisabeth Jolosen Silius tells Aftenposten.

She is Professor of Neurology and Chief Physician at Oslo University Hospital.

What’s the most decisive if you get it?

– A big part of bad luck.

5. How does MS occur?

Besides genetics: Vitamin D deficiency, childhood smoking, and obesity can all increase your risk of developing MS. But the main reason was a bit vague. But in the past year, there has been significant progress.

For several years, researchers have suspected this Epstein Barr virus (“kissing virus”) can cause multiple sclerosis. But no one was able to put two lines under the answer. A recent study from Harvard University greatly strengthened the hypothesis. It examined blood samples from 10 million American soldiers.

– This is a huge step towards discovering the cause of MS. The Norwegian researcher at Harvard University, Kjetil Lauvland Bjørnevik, said that the study gives a strong indication that this virus is the cause of the disease. Today’s medicine.

Science magazine ranked this discovery as one of the most important scientific discoveries of the past year.

– I hope one day we will find the key that can “stop the disease”. But we still have a long way to go, Professor Jolosen Silius explains.

6. Can MS be cured?

To date, there is no cure. The disease is chronic. However, there are many medications that work indirectly by “calming down” the immune system and preventing attacks (“brake medicine”).

Every year, a number of Norwegians go to clinics abroad to receive stem cell treatment. Patient groups and interest groups paid for similar services as standard in Norway.

But Norwegian experts believe the effect has not been well documented.

There is still an ongoing study in Bergen where the effect is being investigated. It now affects about 50 MS patients Stem cell transplant here.

In addition, the University Hospital Oslo and the Hockland Hospital provide such treatment to a small number of severely affected patients each year. But the treatment can have serious side effects.

7. Can one live a full life with MS?

– Yes, Gulusin Silius replied fait accompli.

Admittedly, there is great variance in the patient group.

– But today there are relatively few who have become so bad. The researcher says that many people can count on living a fulfilling life.