Myelin measure in MS tracks patient disability

[MSUK]

Whole-brain measures of myelin water fraction (MWF) -- reflecting the amount of myelin present in brain tissue -- correlated significantly with disease duration and disability levels in multiple sclerosis, supporting a role for MWF in patient management and as an outcome in clinical trials, a researcher said here.

In a cross-sectional study of 141 MS patients and 10 neurologically healthy controls, the "skew" of one of two peaks seen in the distribution of MWF across the brain, including normal-appearing white matter as well in MS-type lesions, was associated with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (P=0.000039) and with the number of years since symptom onset (P=0.012), said Elizabeth Monohan, of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City......... Read More - http://www.ms-uk.org/myelin