Myelin is an insulating layer that forms around nerves, including those in the brain and spinal cord. It is made up of protein and fatty substances.
The purpose of the myelin sheath is to allow impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells. If myelin is damaged, the impulses slow down. This can cause diseases such as
New 'suicide' molecule halts rheumatoid arthritis Published: Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:28 in Health & Medicine A researcher from... Read more »
I wanted to touch on what I wrote about in my last blog a bit more, but take it in a slightly different direction. You don't necessarily... Read more »
Depression coupled with hostility form a destructive alliance in terms of elevating the risk of heart disease. Professor Jesse Stewart,... Read more »
A cure would stop MS in its tracks, prevent new symptoms, stop - not just slow - progression, and hopefully even reverse damage. There are... Read more »
When a child exhibits MS-like symptoms, it probably means he or she has a problem with myelin. Whether the diagnosis turns out to be MS or... Read more »
New research suggests that the drug Tysabri may regenerate and stabilize damage done to the myelin sheath in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). In... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
CSF myelin basic protein is a test to measure the level of myelin basic protein (MBP) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the clear liquid that... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
CausesHerpes VirusesThe herpes virus group includes a number of common infections, including herpes simplex, varicella-zoster (the cause of... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of inherited disorders that affect the peripheral nerves (those outside the brain and spine).Alternative... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
CausesAlthough older age is the primary risk factor for cataracts, researchers are still not certain about the exact biologic mechanisms that tie... Read more »