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According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, MS is “an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system.”

MS “can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted,” according to the institute.

“The vast majority of patients are mildly affected, but in the worst cases, MS can render a person unable to write, speak or walk,” its website states.

Doctors can diagnose MS in some patients after the onset of the illness, but in others, doctors may not be able to identify the cause of symptoms right away, according to the institute.

The group says there is currently no cure for MS, but steroid drugs may be prescribed to those with the disease to treat acute symptoms of an attack, including inflammation.

At the time, Applegate said it had been “a tough road,” but was moving forward and asked for privacy as she goes “through this thing.”

Since then Applegate has kept her fans updated about her battle with MS on Twitter. Last year, she urged fans to watch the documentary of Selma Blair, who documents her first year with the disease. Applegate added that her “life is changed forever” after MS.

On her 50th birthday, she wrote, “Yup. I turned 50 today. And I have MS. It’s been a hard one.” But instead of dwelling on things, she instead turned attention to her followers and said she was “sending so much love to all of you this day.”

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