More about EBV
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:37 am
Some more EBV and MS research.
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=12984
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11233
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11206
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=10128
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=12863
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11346
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=12416
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11463
EBV certainly appears to be linked with MS in some way or another. Unfortunately, even if it is the trigger, I can't see much money in it for the drugs companies which have pretty much focussed on the immune system response and how to suppress it. If EBV (or another virus) was proved to be the target of the immune system, are there drugs which can rid the body of the virus? I've never been convinced by the auto-immune theory i.e. the immune system attacks the body's own tissue etc. I have noted before that one of the neuros I met said that all diseases are auto-immune until the virus or bacteria is identified. A virus throughout the whole CNS (such as EBV) would certainly account for the recent research that suggests that MS is a global disease of the CNS (affecting white matter and grey matter). A virus that becomes active and then calms down again might explain the RR disease that many start off with. Constant attacks by the immune system would account for the eventual slow death of axons, myelin etc.
If EBV is the trigger / cause then much of the current research will not be addressing the core problem and explains why the drugs to date have had limited effect. Maybe neuro-protective agents might help by protecting the nerves from the immune response - inflammation. But inflammation is generally a good thing - cut your finger and the red swelling you see is inflammation (the immune system attacking threats from bacteria etc). So you can elimate inflammation but the virus is still present in the cells.
Stem cell treatment looks promising, but if the virus is within the CNS then I imagine that the new cells / myelin could become infected with the virus and the destructive process will continue.
Hopefully research can be focussed enough to come up with a definitive answer about EBV (or other viruses) at some time in the future. But the big question is what to do if EBV is the cause. Is there any research going on to assess this?
Bromley
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=12984
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11233
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11206
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=10128
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=12863
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11346
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=12416
http://www.msif.org/go.rm?id=11463
EBV certainly appears to be linked with MS in some way or another. Unfortunately, even if it is the trigger, I can't see much money in it for the drugs companies which have pretty much focussed on the immune system response and how to suppress it. If EBV (or another virus) was proved to be the target of the immune system, are there drugs which can rid the body of the virus? I've never been convinced by the auto-immune theory i.e. the immune system attacks the body's own tissue etc. I have noted before that one of the neuros I met said that all diseases are auto-immune until the virus or bacteria is identified. A virus throughout the whole CNS (such as EBV) would certainly account for the recent research that suggests that MS is a global disease of the CNS (affecting white matter and grey matter). A virus that becomes active and then calms down again might explain the RR disease that many start off with. Constant attacks by the immune system would account for the eventual slow death of axons, myelin etc.
If EBV is the trigger / cause then much of the current research will not be addressing the core problem and explains why the drugs to date have had limited effect. Maybe neuro-protective agents might help by protecting the nerves from the immune response - inflammation. But inflammation is generally a good thing - cut your finger and the red swelling you see is inflammation (the immune system attacking threats from bacteria etc). So you can elimate inflammation but the virus is still present in the cells.
Stem cell treatment looks promising, but if the virus is within the CNS then I imagine that the new cells / myelin could become infected with the virus and the destructive process will continue.
Hopefully research can be focussed enough to come up with a definitive answer about EBV (or other viruses) at some time in the future. But the big question is what to do if EBV is the cause. Is there any research going on to assess this?
Bromley