Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic disease of the central nervous system.

See also Map 56 Motor neurone disease.

The highest rate of mortality attributed to MS is found in Putney West. The Royal Hospital for Neurodisability is found here: the high rate may be due to deaths of residents of that hospital. There are other clusters in the northernmost parts of Scotland and in the Scottish borders. This condition is twice as likely to occur among women than men. It is most often diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 (see age–sex bar chart).

MS results from damage to myelin – the protective sheath surrounding the nerve fibres within the central nervous system. This damage interferes with the communication of messages between the brain and parts of the body.

There are a variety of symptoms of MS, including changes in sensation, muscle weakness, abnormal muscle spasms, difficulty moving, coordination and balance, problems with speech or swallowing, visual problems, fatigue, acute or chronic pain syndromes, bladder and bowel difficulties, cognitive impairment and clinical depression.

Life with MS can vary greatly between individuals. Some people have periods of relapse and remission whereas for others the pathway is more progressive. MS is best seen as a lifelong condition rather than as a terminal illness.

Cellist Jacqueline du Pre died from MS in 1987, aged 42.