t for MS," urged Frederick Munschauer, M.D. "As new information becomes available, this should be factored into the patient's care. For now, selection of MS therapy should be based on how effective the treatment is over the long-term in light of the potential impact NAbs can have among these therapies. Currently, if a patient develops NAbs, physicians are forced to consider a more toxic or less effective agent."
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. Surrounding and protecting the nerve fibers of the CNS is a fatty tissue called myelin, which helps nerve fibers conduct electrical impulses. Myelin not only protects nerve fibers but also makes their job possible.
In MS, myelin is destroyed in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue. These damaged areas are also known as plaques or lesions, and sometimes the nerve fiber itself is damaged or broken.
When myelin or the nerve fiber is destroyed or damaged, the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain is impaired or disrupted, and this produces the various symptoms of MS, such as vision problems, numbness, loss of balance, difficulty walking and paralysis.
'"/>
Contact: Cindy Gessell
cindy.gessell@ketchum.com
201-652-4778
Ketchum
14-Feb-2004
Page: 1 2 3 Related biology news :1.
Researchers find clues about how antibodies specialize2.
Second generation targeted antibodies - Its all in the binding3.
Researchers show autoantibodies occur before lupus in New England Journal of Medicine4.
Programmable antibodies-- hybrid cancer therapy described by scientists at Scripps5.
Bodys own antibodies may drive new strains of HIV6.
Growing human antibodies in algae7.
Blasting antibodies with lasers provides direct way of measuring their flexibilities8.
Ozone produced by antibodies during bacterial killing and in inflammation9.
Artificial antibodies created by new molecular imprinting process10.
Human antibodies against spores found by researchers suggest new tool to detect and treat anthrax11.
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute discover a previously unknown role for antibodies