Here's an example of a study that wasn't sponsored by a pharmaceutical company, utilizing MRI to study cerebral perfusion in MS. It's the kind of thing Dr. Haacke is looking at in CCSVI.
Cerebral blood perfusion changes in multiple sclerosis
http://edoc.mdc-berlin.de/9233/1/9233oa.pdf
Quote:
In addition to NO and cytokine mediated changes in cerebral perfusion, disturbed glial cell homeostasis may contribute to a heightened susceptibility for vascular changes in MS patients. Recently, it was reported that a rise of calcium levels within astrocytes induces constriction of blood vessels and consequently reduces cerebral blood flow [53]. The absence or reduction of astrocytic factors causes BBB endothelial cells to carry a reduced number of mitochondria. A decreased mitochondrial content in endothelial cells in MS postmortem tissue is hypothesized to be a primary event in the disruption of the BBB [54].
On the other hand, early vascular endothelial cell activation was identified prior to cerebral parenchymal reaction and demyelination [55], which, in combination with discrete microglial activation and perivascular cellular infiltrates, is a frequent finding in postmortem tissue of MS patients [56]. Microglial activation coincided with abnormal endothelial tight junctions in active lesions and normal appearing white matter, leading to putatively open junctions in microscopically inflamed vessels [57]. Future studies will have to prove whether and which vascular factors in MS patients may facilitate the inflammatory process, and whether vascular vulnerability in our patients is a prerequisite for the initiation of the autoimmune cascade.
My point is not that there is a grand conspiracy, but rather, someone like Dr. Vollmer who only conducts clinical trials which involve pharmaceuticals should not be so quick to write off an entire theory without further evidence. He also didn't refer to the ECTRIMS papers presented by BNAC, Simka or Zamboni.
For those interested in the ongoing research, here are some other papers on cerebral perfusion in MS:
http://csvi-ms.net/en/book/export/html/1639And for those interested in studies regarding altitude, Colorado and MS rates-- the Altitude Research Center is looking at this at the University of Denver. What a shame they don't have the support or cooperation of the Rocky Mountain MS Center.
Quote:
According to ARC director Ben Honigman, M.D., the center has two main focuses. First is the study of integrative physiology, how hypoxia affects the whole person as well as at cellular and molecular levels. This includes the search for a prevention and cure for AMS — which could have implications both economic and military. Investigators are also identifying specific genes that can predict who will get sick and studying the responses of individuals who exercise vigorously in hypoxic environments to better understand physiology at altitude and minimize the risk of deadly edema.
The other focus is epidemiology, the effects of hypoxia on lifespan and progression of cancer, heart disease, obesity, lung diseases, and neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Projected studies will investigate multiple sclerosis progression, longevity, cardiovascular disease, and behavior of malaria at altitude. Medical applications for these studies are being realized in conjunction with sophisticated geographic information systems technology that tracks migrations of populations.
http://www.denvermagazine.com/May-2010/ ... -Altitude/
Colorado is the perfect place for these types of vascular studies!
cheer
_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS 
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