Demyelination: Understanding Multiple Sclerosis & Nerve Damage

Demyelination, or the destruction of the fatty sheath that protects the nerves, is the primary cause of the symptoms associated with the disease multiple sclerosis.

Function

• The fatty protein that protects our nerve cells or neurons is known as myelin. During a multiple sclerosis attack, this protein is destroyed and the nerve becomes inflamed.

Identification

• When seen on an MRI image, these patches of demyelination appear white and are known as lesions.

Significance

• According to the Multiple Sclerosis Encyclopedia, doctors do not know what causes demyelination but believe it may be a result of the body's immune system attacking the healthy myelin.

Considerations

• Not only myelin is destroyed during a multiple sclerosis attack. Oligodendrocytes, nervous system cells that produce myelin, are also destroyed during demyelination.

Effects

• When nerves become exposed during demyelination, certain body parts or functions may cease to work. Multiple sclerosis most often begins with its symptoms coming and going in flare-ups as the myelin is destroyed.