REPORT: Multiple Sclerosis patients on the rise with 2000 cases in Lebanon

With the increasing numbers of multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients in the world, an international congress on Multiple Sclerosis was held in Lyon with the participation of LBCI.        

In this regard, LBCI reporter, Guitta Kiameh Nahal who won an award for the best report on Multiple Sclerosis participated in launching a new free-of-charge online program designed by CogNifit Bayer. This program that should be ready by the beginning of 2013 helps MS patients stay focused and strengthens their memory and cognitive skills.     

The majority of MS patients are between 20 and 23 years old and the disease is not necessarily hereditary. If the disease is not detected in the early stages, the patient may become blind or paralyzed.        

There is still no cure for MS and treatment through the use of stem cells has not proven successful.   

900 cases are registered with the Lebanese Health Ministry and the number of MS patients in Lebanon is estimated at 2000 persons.    

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which the nerves of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) degenerate. Myelin, which provides a covering or insulation for nerves, improves the conduction of impulses along the nerves and also is important for maintaining the health of the nerves. In multiple sclerosis, inflammation causes the myelin to disappear. Consequently, the electrical impulses that travel along the nerves decelerate, that is, become slower. In addition, the nerves themselves are damaged. As more and more nerves are affected, a person experiences a progressive interference with functions that are controlled by the nervous system such as vision, speech, walking, writing, and memory.


For the full LBCI report, watch the video above