Symptoms - can you tell what's next?

[ConfirmedRachel]

I'm still going through the motions with Neuro - waiting for MRI with contrast to see if lesions are active and age etc.

Anyhow, my question is do we know from the damage on the various CNS areas, what the affect will be on our body or is it a bit pot luck?

Be 'good' use that loosely, to know which areas are affected by which lesions if only things like balance, cognition etc

Sorry if that is a naive question, I'm only a few weeks into all this.
Thanks

[HVAC]

Sometimes damage correlates with symptoms sometimes not. The neurological exam, reflexes and such is the most accurate test to show where you have damage in the CNS. My neuro exams show I have brain stem damage. I have symptoms classic to brain stem. My MRIs show lesions on the brain stem

Alex

[supermum_ms]

Hey there,

Lesions mapping of the brain is not that predictably accurate, sections of the brain have been linked to different functions but there are so many neurons, that for various reasons are co-interacting to create each specific function and or neurons that through time, evolution, development etc that have become redundant, and not forgetting brain plasticity.......

In effect, you end up with an individual neural highways infinitely different. A brain lesion in x location 'may' produce an area associated symptom in one person but in another person, a brain lesion in exactly the same location 'may' not produce anything at all.........never forget that you are absolutely unique!

I could bore you to tears with all the symptoms associated with different sections of the brain or spine but it seriously doesn't mean much in relation to your specific situation. Unless you actually have a specific symptom and are wondering which of your lesions could be responsible, its' probably just going to be convoluted stuff, that you personally don't really need to be thinking about today....  

The key is to be proactive about your future and keep your head focused on maintaining or improving your current level of function!    

Cheers...........JJ        

[ConfirmedRachel]

Thank you, I've had Optic Neuritis (they think) in Jan - confusion because I was only 5 weeks into recovery from a discectomy I had in Dec! They thought connected to that at the start - til sight started to come back!

My MRI is pretty ugly too lol, multiple lesions multiple areas - any symptoms must have been slight to date as it hasn't really stopped me doing anything so far and any dodgy things have been written off to other causes.

I have read a fair few MS specific sites as they seem more sensible than other scare tactic sites I've brushed against!

Contrast MRI and results of other tests in next few weeks, Neuro says highly likely MS is the result. Boo hoo, Mum had it too but as I've soon picked up we are all different with our own stories to tell - actually quite a relief to hear that and see how things have changed.

Fingers crossed for a mild RR type then.

[kwarendorf]

Hi Rachel -  Welcome to the group.

I'm not sure there is anyway to predict where or if new lesions will appear. I'm pretty sure that existing lesions are unlikely to cause symptoms that you are not aware of. I meant that if a lesion causes problems with your left foot today, it is unlikely to cause problems with your right hand tomorrow.

There ar e some here that are wise in the ways of lesion location/symptom mapping. I'm not one of them :-) I use the same logic I learned when I was having back problems. Symtoms travel down, not up. If you have a lesion on your throacic spine, it is unlikely to cause peoblems with your hands. Symptoms can occur at any point between the lesion and your toes.

Kyle

[immisceo]

It's pretty much pot luck, although certain things seem to hold 'roughly' true. Lesions in the optic nerves will, no surprise, manifest as visual symptoms. Periventricular lesions are often asymptomatic, according to my last neuro appointment. This is lucky as it's prime real estate for MS lesions, but also one of the reasons we can have active lesions whilst seemingly remaining in remission. My MRIs are actually a bit ugly, but my disease course has been (so far) pretty mild.

Also, there's the same reverse-side principle in effect as with strokes. If you have lesions on the left side of the brain, the symptoms will show up on the right side of the body and vice versa. I'm sure there are exceptions to all of the above, but these are basic 'truths'.