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Jugular Anomalies in Multiple Sclerosis Are Associated with Increased Collateral Venous Flow

http://www.ajnr.org/content/early/2017/05/25/ajnr.A5219

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with healthy controls, patients with MS exhibit reduced venous flow in the main extracerebral drainage vein (internal jugular vein). In contrast, flow in the paraspinal venous collaterals is elevated in patients with MS and exacerbated by venous stenosis. Collateral drainage may be a compensatory response to internal jugular vein flow reduction.

This would answer a question raised in the Journal of Vascular Surgery - Venous and Lymphathic Disorders that I read the other day.

The hypothesis is vague, but the idea is that venous outflow obstruction results in disruption of the blood-brain barrier, leading to leakage of red cells and plasma components into the brain and then an autoimmune response fostering MS. Why this would occur without signs of anatomic venous obstruction, such as collateral development, is unclear.

The answer is that there are signs of anatomic venous obstruction including collaterals.

http://www.jvsvenous.org/article/S2213- ... 9/fulltext

It's good seeing publications in vascular or radiology journals.