Overview
GBS occurs when the immune system attacks part of the nerves in the peripheral nervous system. Though the condition can range from mild to severe, most people who develop GBS recover within 6 months to 2 years after the disease reaches its most severe state.
There are several forms of GBS including:
- Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP)
- Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS)
- Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN)
- Acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN)
AIDP is the most common form of GBS and it predominantly affects the myelin (the substance which covers and protects nerves). MFS is a less severe variant of GBS affecting the eye muscles and tendon reflexes. AMAN affects the axons of the nerves going to the muscles, while AMSAN affects the axons of both the motor and sensory nerves.