The
Gladstone Institutes scientists have defined an underlying process implicated
in multiple sclerosis (MS) which may provide a fresh insight into a disease
that currently has no known cause or cure. Multiple sclerosis is considered to
be an autoimmune disease which causes damage to the myelin sheathing of nerves
located in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The damage
caused presents with symptoms that are very variable, unpredictable and can
differ considerable between individuals diagnosed with the same type of the MS.
Disease modifying drugs that
are currently prescribed, some which are licensed and others that are prescribed
“off label” may delay the progression of the disease for some people who have
MS but the benefit they receive is very variable. Some may experience a benefit
than others and some may experience no benefit whatsoever. Drug side effects
may be experienced and in some cases adverse side effects occur to a point
where they may be a risk of death.
The Gladstone institutes
scientists studies were in animal models which identified precisely how a
protein, which seeps from the blood into the brain, can set off a response that,
over time, causes the nerve cell damage that is a key indicator of multiple
sclerosis. Although these findings lay the groundwork for the possible
development of new therapies to treat MS it should be noted that a mouse model
of MS only mimics the condition and whether that translates to humans is
another matter, however research has to begin somewhere and mouse models may
help provide the confidence for investment into further research and
development of clinical trials, as with all research, at this stage, it is
“early days”.
Research work such as this
is vitally important and uncovering a new or novel target for treating MS may
introduce a “fresh pathway” into the direction treatments are currently are
taking.
Ref.
Gladstone Scientists Identify Key Biological Mechanism in Multiple Sclerosis
News Release Internet
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Note
- Usually by the time a person has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
damage has already occurred, damage which in some individuals may be
substantial. Early diagnosis and recognition of the disease is essential and
this is another problem, anecdotal evidence suggests that a substantial period
of time passes before symptoms become worrisome enough for an individual
experiencing them to refer themselves to a health professional. Then a further
period of time may elapse, during which extensive tests and appointments are
undertaken, before a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is arrived at.
Unless this situation is resolved any medicines and other work to establish a
good level of quality of life will be more difficult.
Without knowing the
underlying cause or causes (triggers) and the origins of the disease it would
be impossible to find a cure?
The blood-brain barrier is a protective barrier whose
prime role is to keep the environment in the brain as stable as possible by
preventing many dangerous substances from entering the brain and protecting the
brain from an assortment of potential risks, ranging from infection to elevated
levels of hormones in the body. The blood-brain barrier can also hinder some
helpful substances, making the administration of medicines to treat brain and
central nervous conditions challenging.
Usually, the walls of capillaries
in the body are highly permeable, allowing a variety of water-soluble
components of blood to pass through them, but in the brain, the capillary walls
are very compact and dense, allowing few substances through. This means that
when toxins and infectious materials are floating around in the blood, they
cannot reach the brain. The brain is a very fragile organ and damage from an
infection could be devastating.
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