Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx)

Which of the following conditions is considered an autoimmune disease?

1. Autism

2. Multiple Sclerosis

3. Cerebral Palsy

4. Gigantism

The correct answer is: Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is considered an autoimmune disease because it involves the immune system mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues. In this case, the immune system targets the myelin sheath, which surrounds and protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system. This damage disrupts communication between the brain and the body, leading to a range of neurological symptoms. Understanding the nature of autoimmune diseases is essential. They occur when the body's immune system fails to distinguish between self and non-self, leading it to attack normal cells. Conditions like Multiple Sclerosis exemplify this response, whereas the other conditions listed do not qualify as autoimmune diseases. Autism, for instance, is a neurodevelopmental disorder, Cerebral Palsy is primarily due to brain injury or abnormalities affecting movement, and Gigantism is a result of excessive growth hormone production, typically due to a pituitary tumor. Each of these conditions has different underlying causes and mechanisms that do not involve the autoimmune response.