brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS)
Introduction
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a form of polyneuropathy causing muscle weakness, which usually worsens over a few days to weeks, then slowly improves or returns to normal on its own. With treatment, people may improve more quickly. Guillain-Barré syndrome is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction. Usually, weakness begins in both legs and moves up the body. Electromyography and nerve conduction studies can help confirm the diagnosis. People with Guillain-Barré syndrome are hospitalized immediately because symptoms can worsen rapidly. Immune globulin given intravenously or plasma exchange speeds recovery. (See also Overview of the Peripheral Nervous System .) Guillain-Barré syndrome affects many Overview of the Peripheral Nervous System throughout the body (a The presumed cause of Guillain-Barré syndrome is an Autoimmune Disorders . The body’s immune system attacks one or both of the following: The myelin sheath, which surrounds the nerve and enables nerve impulses to travel quickly The part of the nerve that sends messages (called an Typical Structure of a Nerve Cell ) In about two thirds of people with Guillain-Barré syndrome, symptoms begin about 5 days to 3 weeks after a mild infection (such as a Campylobacter Infections , In a few people, Guillain-Barré syndrome has developed after a Zika Virus Infection or after Most nerve fibers inside and outside the brain are wrapped with many layers of tissue composed of a fat (lipoprotein) called myelin. These layers form the myelin sheath. Much like the insulation around an electrical wire, the myelin sheath enables nerve signals (electrical impulses) to be conducted along the nerve fiber with speed and accuracy. When the myelin sheath is damaged (called demyelination), nerves do not conduct electrical impulses normally. Weakness caused by Guillain-Barré syndrome usually worsens over 3 or 4 weeks, then remains the same or starts to return to normal. If it worsens for more than 8 weeks, it is considered Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) (CIDP), not Guillain-Barré syndrome. 