In what they describe to the press as a “life-changer” for millions of people with the disease, researchers in the US report this week a study where they discovered blocking an enzyme in the brain may help repair the damage associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), and other brain diseases.The findings are due to be published online this week in the Annals of Neurology.
Myelin Damage
In MS, the protective sheath or myelin around nerve fibers is damaged or destroyed, disrupting the ability of nerve cells to communicate with each other. This process, called demyelination, is what causes the range of sensory, movement and cognitive problems typical of the disease.Lead researcher of the new study, Larry Sherman, a professor at Oregon Health & Science University, heads a lab that had been studying MS and other disorders where myelin gets damaged for nearly 15 years.
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