This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 12:49 am Post subject: How to Understand Remission in CCSVI
One issue that people and doctors have alluded to in the CCSVI discussion as a proof that MS cannot be vascular , is the relapsing/remitting nature of MS. How can we understand exacerbations, flares and remission within this paradigm?

I wanted to start a thread to try and ferret out some research to understand this facet of MS.

This first post is just some rambling thoughts...but we'll get the science going.

One thing that I keep coming back to is the unique and personal pattern every MS patient has- people connect different experiences with their diagnosis.... Jimmy remembers being OK until a Hep B vaccine, Jeff was doing OK until a trip to Salt Lake City (high alt) and stress, Lars was fine until a high altitude trek and illness, fill in your own story here....What brought you into the doctor's office, into the MRI tube, and to an MS diagnosis?

I'll bet it was some sort of vasoconstricting event. Something that disrupted the nitric oxide in the blood vessels. Virus, low oxygen, bacterial infection, cortisol, giving birth.

My guess is that every MS patient is born with venous stenosis and that the body is able to work around the area of impaired drainage with some success, until WHAM! There is an event that completely blocks off return of blood to heart at that weak point, and the cycle of perfusion, hypoxia and immune activation is started. A few days/weeks after, the MS patient has what we call an exacerbation.

When the nitric oxide in the blood vessels returns to stasis, the blockage opens up a bit (but with damage done to the CNS, lesion formation, and a thickening of the vein wall due to inflammation) and the MS patient has some "remission." Repeat this over several years, and the MS converts to progressive, when the veins are tougher, less able to open back up, and the damage in the brain and spine has accumulated.

thoughts? Personal stories? Science?
cheer