What Are The Symptoms Of Multiple System Atrophy?

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system. The neurodegenerative disease is characterized by symptoms that affect movement and the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for involuntary actions like digestion and blood pressure regulation. The symptoms progress as different kinds of nerve cells within the spinal cord and brain lose their function and die. The disease is rare and estimated to affect only fifteen to fifty thousand individuals in the United States. The symptoms usually appear when an individual is in their fifties. Eventually, symptoms lead to a patient being bedridden because they no longer have motor function. Patients with multiple system atrophy might die suddenly from respiratory or cardiac problems.