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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common, primary neurogenic cause of disability among young adults. We investigated demographic and clinical factors associated with unemployment on the example of 150 MS patients receiving immunomodulatory treatment in Poland. This study was based on clinical evaluation and collection of self-reported questionnaires, with an attention to self-motivation, severe fatigue and moderate disability. Patients who were unemployed (40% of all patients) had a mean disease duration of almost 5 years. Older (p<0.001), less educated (p = 0.007) and more severely disabled patients (p<0,001) were most likely to be unemployed. Moderate disability (OR = 11.089 95% CI: 4.11-34.201, p<0,001), severe fatigue (OR = 2.625 95% CI: 1.02-6.901, p = 0,046) and lower level of self-motivation (KNS) (OR = 0.947, 95% CI: 0.896-0.006, p = 0.042) were independently associated with unemployment.

The objective of the present study was to quantitatively detect axons in the minute multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions and in shadow plaques, taking into consideration the relapsing-remitting(R-R) and secondary progressive(SP) stages of MS. The brain tissue of 12 patients deceased due to MS was investigated. An image-computerized analysis was made for measurements of axons. Based on the findings we concluded that damage to axons appears in both the minute MS lesions and in shadow plaques. Demyelination and ineffective (too late or too slow) remyelination seemed to be very important factors in axonal damage. Irreversible damage to axons may appear in both the secondary progressive and relapsing-remitting stages of MS, causing permanent neurological deficits, irrespective of the duration of the disease.

Among 100 patients with MS, in 65 patients CT examination revealed cerebral atrophy (in 58 cortical and subcortical atrophy, in 7 patients only cortical). In 25 (25%) patients with cerebral atrophy EEG findings were focal type of paroxysmal activity. Only five patients with paroxysmal discharges had epileptic fits. Mean age in these 5 patients was 47 years, mean duration of the disease 17 years. This means that seizures in MS patients appeared in late period of the disease and no correlation was between cerebral atrophy and epileptic seizures. Paroxysmal discharges occurred more often in EEG examination, than clinical seizures.