Researchers find potential path to repair nerves damaged by multiple sclerosis

FINDINGSA UCLA study found that gene expression in specific cells and in specific regions of the body can provide a more precise, neuroprotective approach than traditional treatments for neurological diseases. Gene expression is the process by which genetic instructions are used to synthesize gene products, such as proteins, which go on to perform essential functions.For multiple sclerosis, specifically, increasing cholesterol synthesis gene expression in astrocytes of the spinal cord can be a pathway to repair nerves that affect walking.BACKGROUNDMultiple sclerosis is an autoimmune, neurodegenerative disease characterized by distinct disabilities that affect walking, vision and cognition. The disease causes inflammation, which strips the myelin coating from nerves. The myelin loss disrupts signaling and eventually causes permanent disability.Among people with MS, the type and severity of disability can vary widely from one patient to another. So the UCLA researchers proposed that the molecular mechanisms behind each disability might differ — and that treatments tailored for each disability could be more effective than treatments intended to target multiple different disabilities. The team focused on astrocytes, a type of brain cell that is activated in people with MS and plays several important roles in disease.METHODWorking with a mouse model of MS, the researchers analyzed astrocytes in various regions of the brain and spinal cord that are known to be involved in walking...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news