Actress Christina Applegate says MS diagnosis was incorrect — Live Science

Actress Christina Applegate said that a repeat examination has cast doubt on the multiple sclerosis diagnosis she received more than five years ago. According to her, new test results indicate that she does not have the disease, although she has not yet received a final diagnosis. This was reported by Live Science.

Why MS is difficult to diagnose

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Immune attacks can damage neurons and myelin — a fatty insulating substance that covers nerve fibers and helps transmit signals. Possible symptoms include problems with vision and balance, muscle weakness, tingling, dizziness and impaired bladder control.

There is no single test that can infallibly confirm multiple sclerosis. To assess a patient's condition, doctors may consider the combination of symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging results of the brain and spinal cord, examinations of the optic nerves, electrophysiological tests and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. The shape, size and location of lesions associated with myelin damage are important.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Diseases with similar manifestations

Specialists must also rule out other conditions that may resemble multiple sclerosis. These include neuromyelitis optica, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease, lupus, myasthenia and neurosarcoidosis. Some of these diseases can be detected through antibody tests or cerebrospinal fluid analysis, while others require additional examinations.

According to research data, the rate of MS misdiagnosis ranges from 5% to more than 40%, depending on the patient group and clinical setting. At the same time, there are also cases in which the disease is not detected. Neurologists note that confidence in a diagnosis is highest when the examination and its interpretation are conducted by an MS specialist using current diagnostic criteria.

Early establishment of the correct diagnosis is important because modern therapy can curb immune attacks and prevent further damage to the nervous system. At the same time, some diseases resembling MS, including myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease, may worsen under medications prescribed to treat multiple sclerosis.