Demyelination
The content of the article:
- Causes
- Kinds
- Signs
- Diagnostics
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Consequences and complications
Demyelination is a pathological process in which the myelin sheath of nerve fibers is destroyed. The myelin sheath performs an insulating function: it ensures the propagation of an electrical impulse along the fiber without energy loss. Demyelination becomes the cause of a violation of the functional activity of structures involved in the pathological process.
Damage to the myelin sheath of nerve fibers
Causes
The most common causes of demyelination include:
- genetically determined failure of the myelin sheath;
- damage to myelin protein molecules by autoimmune complexes;
- metabolic disorders in the cells of the nervous system;
- viral agents whose target cells are glial cells (cells that form the myelin sheath);
- neoplastic processes in the nervous tissue (primary tumors of the nervous system and metastatic formations in this area);
- severe intoxication.
Kinds
There are 2 types of demyelination:
- Myelinoclasty is the destruction of myelin as a result of a genetic defect.
- Myelinopathy is a violation of the integrity of the myelin sheath under the influence of external or internal factors not related to myelin.
As a result of the destruction of nerve cells, there is a violation of the exchange of information between the brain and the body.
Depending on the localization of the pathological process, there are:
- demyelination of the structures of the central nervous system;
- demyelination of the anatomical formations of the peripheral nervous system.
By prevalence:
- isolated demyelination;
- generalized demyelination.
Signs
The clinical picture of demyelination depends on the following factors:
- localization of the pathological process;
- its severity;
- compensatory capabilities of the body, that is, the rate of natural remyelination (restoration of the integrity of the myelin sheath).
Isolated demyelination of motor nerves is characterized by motor disorders (paresis of varying severity and paralysis).
With isolated demyelination of sensitive nerve fibers in the clinical picture, symptoms of impaired sensitivity prevail in the area for which the affected nerve is responsible (paresthesia, hyperesthesia, dissociation, hypesthesia, anesthesia, dysesthesia).
Paresthesias and other sensitivity disorders are signs of demyelination.
Generalized demyelination is characterized by the following symptoms:
- chronic fatigue, increased fatigue;
- persistent headaches;
- dizziness;
- violations of intellectual activity;
- decreased visual acuity;
- difficulty swallowing (dysphagia);
- blurry speech;
- instability, unsteadiness of gait;
- tremor of the limbs;
- unusual sensations in different parts of the body.
Diagnostics
In order to localize the pathological process, a thorough neurological examination is performed.
To diagnose peripheral demyelination, electromyography is used (study of biopotentials of skeletal muscles).
The most informative method is magnetic resonance imaging, through which it is possible to visualize pathological foci with diameters of more than 3 mm.
Demyelination is diagnosed using electromyography and MRI
Treatment
The goals of therapy are remyelination, that is, the restoration of the integrity of the myelin sheath of the nerve fiber, and the normalization of the functions of the part of the nervous system involved in the pathological process.
To stimulate remyelination, the following groups of drugs are prescribed:
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- neuroprotective agents;
- agents that improve the trophism of the nervous tissue, including vitamins.
Prevention
Timely identification of a hereditary predisposition to the development of demyelinating diseases based on the study of family history and genetic typing, as well as measures aimed at preventing the development of autoimmune diseases and neuroinfections, can significantly reduce the risk of demyelination of nerve fibers.
Consequences and complications
The consequence of demyelination can be different in localization and severity of dysfunctions of the nervous system.
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
