The man alleged to have attacked independent MP Helen Haines’ on Monday, Brendan Nugent, appeared in court today.

He was charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, the federal offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, as well as cultivating and processing cannabis.

Helen Haines has lost both legs, her husband Phil Haines announced on Wednesday afternoon. She is in a stable condition in hospital.

According to Nugent’s lawyer, Chirag Patel, his client had a concussion and experienced the neurological condition idiopathic transverse myelitis, which Patel said affected his mental health, adding he was not currently medicated.

So what exactly is this condition? Here’s what you need to know.

It’s caused by inflammation

Transverse myelitis is a neurological condition caused by inflammation of the spinal cord. Inflammation damages the fatty coating around nerves called the myelin sheath, which acts as an insulator and helps messages get around the brain and the........

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