Glossary Archive - MS Australia

Vestibular

Karlo Aliling — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:21:31 +0000

This relates to the central cavity of the inner ear (the vestibule), which affects a person’s balance and movement.

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Double-blind placebo controlled trial

Karlo Aliling — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:20:37 +0000

This is considered the gold standard for clinical trial design. The double-blind refers to neither the patient nor the treating doctor knowing whether a patient is receiving active treatment or not until the completion of the trial.

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Placebo

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 16:00:22 +0000

A placebo is a substance or treatment of no intended therapeutic value. Common placebos include inactive tablets or injections, but can also include any medical procedure which resembles an active treatment. A placebo is used to prevent the influence of people’s expectation of treatment, which can impact results.

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Free radicals

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:59:15 +0000

Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that can react and damage DNA and proteins within the body. They are by-products of the energy producing mechanism of cells. The body produces antioxidants to help counteract free radicals.

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Mitochondria

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:57:43 +0000

Mitochondria are small sub-units of cells which turn sugars, fats and proteins that we eat, into forms of chemical energy that cells can use to carry out their functions.

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Anxiety

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:56:50 +0000

Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder. It is characterised by constantly feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something. It can also cause fatigue, restlessness and hypervigilance resulting from excessive worry and/or fear, which in turn can affect the ability to concentrate, sleep and carry out ordinary tasks.

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Depression

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:55:22 +0000

A mental health condition characterised by a persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.

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Neuromuscular plasticity

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:54:34 +0000

The ability of the central nervous system to form and re-form nerve connections between the brain and muscles of the body in response to education, or to reroute messages around sites of damage or injury to restore muscle function.

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Neuroplasticity

Julia Morahan — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:52:25 +0000

The brain’s ability to form and re-form connections. This can be in response to learning or other memory forming tasks, or can be the brain rewiring itself to circumvent areas of damage or injury.

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Immunomodulation

Karlo Aliling — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 01:24:21 +0000

From a therapeutic point of view, immunomodulation refers to any process in which an immune response is altered.

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