Demyelination Diseases and Neuropathic Pain

  multiple-sclerosis copy We are seeking new funding to continue this project. A large number of neurological and psychiatric conditions can be attributed to demyelination (a disease process that affects the white matter of the nervous system and is characterized by the removal of the myelin sheath that wraps many nerve cells). Understanding the impact of demyelination on electrical and physiological processes of the brain is central to finding treatments. Some of the prominent diseases associated with demyelination include multiple sclerosis (MS), trigeminal neuralgia, optic neuritis, Guillain-Barre syndrome and numerous conditions involving neuropathic pain. This project employs computer simulations of demyelinated axons to foster break-through discoveries of the electrical properties of axons (the long fibrous extensions of brain cells that are affected by demyelination diseases). We are currently seeking collaborations with researchers in laboratories to complement our simulation research. The results of this work will guide development of therapeutic interventions to alleviate symptoms as well as yield valuable insights into the function of the nervous system. Project Leaders: Jay S Coggan, PhD Steven A Prescott, MD PhD Project participants are currently working as NeuroLinx volunteers.