Christina Applegate discussed in detail her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a recent interview, revealing she can no longer walk without a cane. Cyndi Zagieboylo, President and CEO of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, commended the actress for being open about her diagnosis.
"We are sensitive to the fact that receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, and telling others about it, is never easy," Zagieboylo said in a statement to Newsweek. "We applaud Christina Applegate and many others for their bravery in stepping forward to help all communities better understand MS, and the varied experiences of people living with it."
Applegate spoke with The New York Times in a story published Tuesday ahead of the November 17 premiere of the third and final season of her hit Netflix show Dead to Me. She recalled experiencing balance issues during production on the first season of the show before receiving her MS diagnosis in the summer of 2021.
"I wish I had paid attention," she told the newspaper. "But who was I to know?"
The Mayo Clinic defines multiple sclerosis as "a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system)." In the disease, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that "covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body," according to the clinic. As a result, people with the disease may experience permanent damage or deterioration of the nerves.
Applegate not addressing her initial symptoms isn't uncommon. Julie Fiol, Associate Vice President of Clinical Innovation and Strategy for the National MS Society, told Newsweek that the "symptoms of MS do not always start off intense and can be mild so it's common for them to be ignored or not addressed until they worsen or additional symptoms develop."
According to Fiol, Applegate's feeling of a loss of balance is a "common symptom of MS and is often one of the presenting symptoms of MS." She said other common early indicators include inflammation of the nerve between the eye and the brain—which can cause pain with eye movements and blurred vision—numbness, tingling sensations, weakness and bladder problems.
"The presenting symptoms of MS are also not specific or unique to MS, so it's not uncommon for them to be unrecognized initially as MS symptoms," Fiol said.
Applegate told the Times that production for Dead to Me halted for several months so she could start treatment for the disease, and Netflix considered closing the show indefinitely. However, Applegate said she felt "an obligation" to show creator Liz Feldman and co-star Linda Cardellini. She also said viewers will see how MS has physically affected her.
"This is the first time anyone's going to see me the way I am," Applegate told the outlet. "I put on 40 pounds; I can't walk without a cane. I want people to know that I am very aware of all of that."
Fiol said about three quarters of people living with MS will require a form of walking assistance at some point.
"Studies have shown that about 15 percent of people with MS have needed a walking aide, like a cane or walking stick, in their first year of diagnosis," Fiol said. "Sometimes using a walking aide is temporary or only needed at certain times, like walking long distances or on days when someone is feeling more fatigued. It's also possible someone will need a walking aide during a relapse and then no longer need it after they recover."
Applegate's weight gain was likely due to loss of mobility, and Fiol noted MS itself does not lead to people carrying more weight. However, she said relapses are often treated with steroids, which can cause weight gain.
Along with the early symptoms described before, Fiol said depression is also high in those with MS. She said it's not just an emotional response to the illness, but a biological one. Additionally, fatigue is common, as are changes in cognition.
Fiol said someone with MS may experience difficulty processing information or remembering new details, as well as issues with concentration.
"These may sound like problems people who don't have MS also experience, but the extent to which people with MS experience them is greater," she said.
Fiol said a recent study found nearly 1,000,000 adults in the U.S. are living with multiple sclerosis. She said some of the most common misconceptions about the disease are that it's contagious (it's not), it's fatal (also untrue) and that MS affects mostly white people (the disease is just as prevalent among Black people).
Fortunately, advances have been made in treatment for MS, with disease modifying therapies (DMTs) reducing the number of relapses, reducing new lesions and slowing progression of the disease in patients. Fiol said "non-pharmacological strategies can also have a positive impact on the disease process itself."
"There has been great progress made in recent years in that many therapies are highly effective at shutting the disease down and allowing people to live their lives as they had planned," Fiol said.
Newsweek reached out to Applegate for comment.
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