Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis
By Emma Carter
Image information
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Intro
Actor Christina Applegate has said that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis after living with the diagnosis for five years.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| chronic adjective | adjective | Meaning: continuing for a long time or returning repeatedly | Example: People with chronic conditions often need regular medical care. |
| protective adjective | adjective | Meaning: designed to keep someone or something safe from harm | Example: The helmet provides protective support during the activity. |
| diagnosis noun | noun | Meaning: a medical conclusion about the nature of an illness | Example: The doctor changed her diagnosis after reviewing the latest tests. |
| abnormalities noun | noun | Meaning: features or results that are unusual or outside the normal range | Example: The scan showed several abnormalities that required further investigation. |
| specialist noun | noun | Meaning: a professional with advanced knowledge of a particular subject | Example: Her family doctor referred her to a heart specialist. |
| uncertainty noun | noun | Meaning: a lack of complete confidence or definite knowledge | Example: The uncertainty surrounding the results made the decision difficult. |
| definitive adjective | adjective | Meaning: providing a final and reliable answer or decision | Example: The researchers are still waiting for definitive evidence. |
The story
Actor Christina Applegate has said that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the protective covering of nerve fibers. The diagnosis was made five years ago and led Applegate to retire from acting. On Tuesday, she said that the diagnosis was incorrect.
The case was discussed in an NPR interview with Michael Kornberg, an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University. Kornberg explained that multiple sclerosis is not diagnosed through one simple test. Unlike tests for illnesses such as strep throat or flu, there is no single result that is simply positive or negative.
Instead, doctors consider several kinds of information together. They look for neurological symptoms that are typical of MS and examine other findings, including certain abnormalities on a brain MRI. In some cases, they also study spinal fluid. This process can be difficult because other conditions may cause similar neurological symptoms and produce abnormalities on brain scans.
Multiple sclerosis can cause a range of problems, including headaches, fatigue, vision difficulties, slurred speech and trouble with mobility. Because these symptoms can have different causes, doctors may need to review a patient’s history, conduct a specialist evaluation and examine how the illness develops over time.
Kornberg said a misdiagnosis may become clear after a new assessment by a specialist. Doctors may reach a different conclusion when they review earlier MRI results, reconsider the person’s medical history or observe new symptoms that point toward another condition. Applegate’s statement highlights the uncertainty that can arise when a serious neurological disorder is diagnosed through a combination of symptoms and medical findings rather than a single definitive test.
Warm-up questions
- What difficulties might doctors face when several illnesses share similar symptoms?
- Why might a patient seek a second medical opinion after receiving a serious diagnosis?
Comprehension questions
- What did Applegate say about her diagnosis on Tuesday?
- Why is multiple sclerosis not diagnosed through one simple test?
- What types of information may doctors examine when considering MS?
- Why can diagnosing MS be difficult?
- How might a specialist reach a different conclusion?
Opinion questions
- Do you think patients should routinely seek a second opinion after a serious diagnosis? Why or why not?
- Which source of information seems most valuable in a difficult diagnosis: symptoms, scans, medical history, or time? Explain.
Further discussion
- How could doctors communicate uncertainty without unnecessarily alarming patients?
- What improvements might make diagnosing complex neurological conditions more accurate?
Writing prompt
- Write a short opinion essay explaining why accurate diagnosis matters and how doctors can reduce misdiagnosis.
