Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Christina Applegate reveals she has multiple sclerosis

Actress Christina Applegate has announced that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. (VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images/CNN) Actress Christina Applegate has announced that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. (VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images/CNN)
Share

Actress Christina Applegate has announced that she has been diagnosed with

The 49-year-old, known for her roles in "Bad Moms," "Married... with Children" and "Dead to Me," said in a published overnight that she was diagnosed "a few months ago."

"It's been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition," wrote Applegate. "It's been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some asshole blocks it."

Multiple sclerosis affects the central nervous system and is considered an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks its own healthy cells. It affects quality of life and can be disabling.

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis, which is often called MS, but many people are able to manage their symptoms and adapt to new lifestyles after diagnosis.

The disease begins when a person's immune system attacks the coverings of nerve fibers throughout the body. These protective nerve sheaths are called myelin, and they assist with the communication of nerves.

When myelin is destroyed, it exposes the nerves, slowing communication between these cells. The signs and symptoms are related to how much damage has been done.

Researchers believe that the disease is the result of both environmental and genetic factors, but the underlying cause is not known.

More than 2.3 million people have a diagnosis of MS worldwide, Nearly 1 million people over the age of 18 live with a diagnosis of MS in the U.S., the nonprofit organization adds.

This is not the first health issue that Applegate has faced.

In 2008, she made the decision to .

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.