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Canadian microbiologists look at the iron around MS lesions, and link it to the vasculature and "chronic extravasation of hemoglobin", or microbleeds causing oxidative stress in the brain. This is what Dr. Zamboni proposed in 2006 in his "Big Idea" paper on the similarities of MS and venous disease. More researchers connecting MS lesions to the vasculature.

Although iron is known to be essential for the normal development and health of the central nervous system, abnormal iron deposits are found in and around multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions that themselves are closely associated with the cerebral vasculature. However, the origin of this excess iron is unknown, and it is not clear whether this is one of the primary causative events in the pathogenesis of MS, or simply another consequence of the long-lasting inflammatory conditions. Here, applying a systems biology approach, we propose an additional way for understanding the neurodegenerative component of the disease caused by chronic subclinical extravasation of hemoglobin, in combination with multiple other factors including, but not limited to, dysfunction of different cellular protective mechanisms against extracellular hemoglobin reactivity and oxidative stress. Moreover, such considerations could also shed light on and explain the higher susceptibility of MS patients to a wide range of cardiovascular disorders

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24504127

We heard Dr. Yulin Ge discuss these subclinical microbleeds at ISNVD--they are more visible on 7T MRI.

cheer

Thanks for the abstract cheer!! There is no doubt in my mind that MS is just as much of a vascular disease as it is autoimmune. However, what we don't know is. Is the vascular disfunction the consequences of MS
or the cause of MS..??? One thing i find intriguing as in my wife's case who has MS is her struggles to control high blood pressure. Last checkup was 160/90. She is currently taking Lisinopril (has been for 18 months)
at 40MG which was just increased from 20MG. If the higher dose doesn't help her doctor said he will put her on additional med's (can't recall what).


Thanks,

Bob

Interesting, my blood pressure was on the high side for my age and fitness level at 140/90. A year ago i started the Swank diet and my blood pressure dropped to its current state of 125/ 75. I haven't had a relapse in a year... possibly coincidence but you would think a compromised vascular system wouldn't handle pressure very well.

Hi Kronk and Orion--
High blood pressure might be an issue for some, but endothelial dysfunction and a breakdown of the lining of the blood vessels can be caused by lack of shear stress from inactivity, low vitamin B12, low vitamin D, lack of UV rays, high glucose, transfats, toxins, and a myraid of other environmental factors. Which might explain the links to latitude, obesity, smoking, and other environmental factors that contribute to MS susceptibility and progression. It's probably going to take a whole, holistic approach to heal the endothelium.
http://ccsvi.org/index.php/helping-myse ... ial-health
cheer

cheerleader wrote:Hi Kronk and Orion--
High blood pressure might be an issue for some, but endothelial dysfunction and a breakdown of the lining of the blood vessels can be caused by lack of shear stress from inactivity, low vitamin B12, low vitamin D, lack of UV rays, high glucose, transfats, toxins, and a myraid of other environmental factors. Which might explain the links to latitude, obesity, smoking, and other environmental factors that contribute to MS susceptibility and progression. It's probably going to take a whole, holistic approach to heal the endothelium.
http://ccsvi.org/index.php/helping-myse ... ial-health
cheer

Local blood pressure is affected by segment length, diameter, viscosity, temperature, resistance due to narrowings, blockages, and deformities. it is not measureable by a BP cuff. I am beginning to think the collagen changes and brain-barrier breaches are due to attack by parasites whose interest is in slowing down the easiest blood to slow down - that which is already going slow, and under low pressure. zonce these invaders enter the brain they will block directly periventricular veins where CSF is normally produced. Progressing farther into the brain they produce perfectly circular (cylindrical?) holes, black hoes where no mri signal exists. I think these ase born in the eye and make their way backwards from there. I think I have wathed some of this process in vivo in my own eyes. It is fascinating to wach the genesis of these creatures. It appears to take place by spinning fertilized cells until they connect in a 3d fractal matrix. Some are tubular and some ae disk shaped with lobes in their centres. The disk shaped ones invade along the outsie (and perhaps the inside) of the skull.

Not sure, 1eye. I know there is one scientist who is looking at biofilms. There may be organisms that are yet undiscovered. Hard to test for what we don't know, right? The squiggles in your eyes (I have them, too, because I'm over 50) are floaters, caused by bits of eye gel breaking off and floating around in the liquid surrounding the eye ball. http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php ... -floaters/

I really only know Jeff's MS process for sure--his hypercoagulation, high SED/ESR rate, blood spots on his legs (petechiae) and the other vascular signs that showed up at his MS diagnosis.

Here's more on how Dr. Swank's discovery of "capillary fragility" and hypercoagulation in his MS patients ties in to the Canadian discovery of microbleeds in the MS brain--
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com/2014/03/b ... tters.html
take care,
cheer

This ties in with the multiple research studies that have proven the pwMS have excess amounts of saturated fat in plasma/ cell membranes. Not only would this affect flow, but my primary interest was that it would effectively seal the cell off by making the membrane too rigid, thereby not allowing peptides, hormones and other chemical messengers to connect with there receptors in the cell.

Study showing fatty acid ratio in MS (there are many)
http://www.pnas.org/content/86/12/4720.full.pdf

Study with fatty acids and rheumatoid arthritis (an auto-immune disease)
http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/ ... 8.full.pdf

Study showing fatty acid profiles the same in all neurologic disorders
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... x/abstract

Hi Kronk--
Thanks for those links, they're great! The fatty acid imbalance was Dr. Swank's original premise. We've had decades more research now, and it's shown that he was (partially) correct. A higher percentage of dietary omega 6 fats (like chemically altered transfats and saturated fats) compared to omega 3 oil (fish, flax) can cause endothelial damage--as you said, change the cell membrane.

Many nutrition experts believe that before we relied so heavily on processed foods, humans consumed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in roughly equal amounts. But to our great detriment, most North Americans and Europeans now get far too much of the omega-6s and not enough of the omega-3s. This dietary imbalance may explain the rise of such diseases as asthma, coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer, autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases, all of which are believed to stem from inflammation in the body.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400149/b ... ega-6.html

But there are so many other factors that influence the endothelium, and could be compounding microbleeds. It's not just about fats. It's also about lifestyle, exercise and shear stress, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, UV rays, toxins and how all of these factors change the endothelial lining of our blood vessels--impacting the immune and circulatory systems. Lots to consider. Which is why a holistic approach is really helpful for pwMS--yet not easy to double-blind trial.
http://ccsvi.org/index.php/helping-myse ... ial-health
cheer