More loss in cervical region also linked to worse motor function
by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD | February 27, 2023
A greater loss of myelin — the protective coating around nerve fibers — in the part of the spinal cord found in the neck was associated with worse disability in people with multiple sclerosis, data from a new study showed.
More substantial myelin loss in this region, known as the cervical spinal cord, also was tied to declines in motor function and dexterity.
The study used an advanced MRI technique called magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), which assesses overall myelin integrity. Myelin loss was particularly evident in patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS), which is characterized by steadily worsening symptoms over time.
Lisa Eunyoung Lee, a PhD student at the University of Toronto, in Canada, presented the findings at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2023, held Feb. 23-25, in San Diego and virtually.
Her study, titled “Myelin Abnormalities in the Cervical Spinal Cord is Associated with Clinical Disability Across MS Subtypes,” was funded by the MS Society of Canada, Biogen Canada, Roche, and the Brain Canada Foundation.
Detecting the loss of myelin in the cervical spinal cord
MS is marked by erroneous autoimmune attacks on myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects nerve cells and ensures efficient cell-to-cell communication. As a result of these damaging immune reactions, lesions — areas of tissue damage and inflammation — form throughout the brain and spinal cord.
The cervical spinal cord, which forms the neck region of the spine closest to the skull, is one area that’s particularly affected in MS. A greater degree of damage in this area has been associated with a more aggressive disease course and more severe disability accumulation.
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