Multiple Sclerosis: A bibliographic study on its incidence and clinical characteristics

Abstract

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, where the destruction of myelin occurs in the white matter of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting the spinal cord and brain, causing problems with walking, tingling, and stiffness. Concurrently, psychological disorders stand out due to their impact on the quality of life of sufferers, with young women being the most affected by the disease. Objective: To conduct a literature review on the incidence and clinical characterization of MS. Method: A bibliographic study was conducted on the topic using articles published between 2020 and 2024 in academic databases, selecting 30 works for analysis. Results: There are still no studies that prove the origin of MS, however, clinical symptoms and complementary exams are essential to detect the disease pattern, in addition to the use of balance scale, combined with appropriate pharmacological treatment. Furthermore, the emergence of alternative therapies allied to the good prognosis of individuals with the disease is highlighted, such as vitamin D supplementation, physiotherapy, kinesiotherapy, occupational therapy, and neuropsychological monitoring. Conclusion: It is of paramount importance to have early evaluation and multidisciplinary follow-up to delay the progression of the disease and ensure an improvement in the patient's quality of life.