This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

MS has a substantial autoimmune component and that is a fact.

But a double-whammy of stopping the damage (if CCSVI venoplasty can stop the damage) and then remyelinating is a beautiful idea.

Myelin regeneration in multiple sclerosis: targeting endogenous stem cells.

Huang JK, Fancy SP, Zhao C, Rowitch DH, Ffrench-Constant C, Franklin RJ.

Source

MRC Cambridge Centre for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, United Kingdom, CB3 0ES.

Abstract

Regeneration of myelin sheaths (remyelination) after central nervous system demyelination is important to restore saltatory conduction and to prevent axonal loss. In multiple sclerosis, the insufficiency of remyelination leads to the irreversible degeneration of axons and correlated clinical decline. Therefore, a regenerative strategy to encourage remyelination may protect axons and improve symptoms in multiple sclerosis. We highlight recent studies on factors that influence endogenous remyelination and potential promising pharmacological targets that may be considered for enhancing central nervous system remyelination.

"Autoimmune theory is almost debunked"

Seriously, all credibility just went out of the window. MS has a substantial autoimmune component and that is a fact. CCSVI has a success rate which is all over the map, it is the most unreliable treatment out there. HSCT has an 80% success rate across the board with a 100% rate with RRMS, give or take a few percentage points, that's pretty spectacular. If ablating the immune system does this, then to claim that that ms isn't an autoimmune disease is just silly.

First, nearly 60 years of EAE-based research yielded not a single MS-halting therapy. This in itself should be an important reason to consider a shift in research direction

Second, neurodegeneration is now regarded as an important component in MS. It is neurodegeneration rather than demyelination that contributes to long-term disability. Several pathological and MRI studies indicate that grey matter involvement is early and extensive. Axonal transection may be degenerative, inflammatory or both, but brain and spinal cord atrophy is considered to be the direct result of neurodegeneration. If we accept axonal degeneration and neuronal loss to be essential features, then MS no longer fulfils the original criteria of a primary demyelinative disease and comparison with EAE becomes even less apposite.

Third, the most neglected aspect of MS research is prevention, and we believe that this again is explained by the erroneous assumption of autoimmunity.

Finally, of all the environmental risk factors associated with MS, vitamin D seems the most easily modified.22 In a longitudinal follow-up study of over 90 000 women, those taking vitamin D supplements had a 40% lower incidence of MS than those who did not