Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that arises when white blood cells make their way into the central nervous system and attack the fatty covering that protects neurons, which disrupts their ability to effectively conduct electrical and chemical signals. Many people with MS report that their symptoms get temporarily worse in the heat. This is because neurons, especially damaged ones, conduct electricity less efficiently at higher temperatures. Decades ago, before the advent of magnetic resonance imaging, doctors would diagnose multiple sclerosis by putting patients in a hot bath. If their neurologic symptoms worsened, it was taken as evidence that they had MS. Dr. Barbara Giesser has been caring for people with MS since 1982, and she’s seen the field evolve. The disease isn’t curable, but thanks to new medications and new knowledge about lifestyle, it’s much easier to live with MS than ever. Listen to this episode of the Think Neuro podcast to hear one of the most experienced MS doctors in the world describe the mechanics of the disease and what patients can do to minimize its effects.

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