Demyelinating brain disease: treatment, predictions, symptoms

Demyelinating brain disease is a serious and dangerous problem, because the disease affects the nervous tissues, which, of course, affects the work of the whole organism. So what is a similar state? What symptoms are accompanied? Are there effective methods of treatment?

What is a demyelinating process?

Some nerve endings (in particular, the axons of the peripheral and central nervous system) are covered with a specific myelin sheath. This structure performs a number of important functions. In particular, myelin is responsible for the rate of transmission of electrical impulses along nerve fibers. In addition, the shell performs barrier and support functions, and is also responsible for nourishing the nerve endings.

Demyelinating brain disease is accompanied by some kind of damage to the myelin sheath, which, naturally, affects the work of nerve cells. By the way, demyelinating diseases are a whole group of those or other lesions of the nervous system, each of which has its own characteristics and is accompanied by a unique set of symptoms.

Demyelinating brain disease: causes

It is not always possible to find out the reason for the appearance of such a process. Nevertheless, in modern medicine, it is common to identify several major risk factors. For example, quite often such a disease develops against a background of hereditary diseases, including aminoaciduria, leukodystrophy, Alexander's disease, etc.

Demielisation can have an acquired character. In some cases, damage to the myelin sheath occurs against the background of infectious inflammatory diseases, less often after the introduction of vaccines. Diseases such as diffuse and multiple sclerosis, acute transverse myelitis can also cause demyelination of nerve fibers.

On the other hand, such diseases can be caused by some metabolic disorders. In particular, the cause is often acute deficiency of vitamin B12, central pontinous myelinosis and some other conditions.

Demyelinating brain disease: symptoms

Of course, many people are interested in what kind of changes you need to pay attention to. Unfortunately, the symptoms in this case depend on the location of the lesions, the stage and the features of the disease course.

Naturally, there are some signs that may indicate that a person develops a demyelinating disease of the brain. As a rule, first of all the patient develops an increased fatigue and a decrease in working capacity. The main symptoms can also be attributed to this or that degree of impaired coordination, as well as changes in gait, tremor.

In addition, some patients note changes in sensitivity - it can either increase or decrease or even disappear completely. Symptoms include periodic sensations of burning and tingling in the extremities.

In addition, demyelinating disease of the brain can cause and violations in the work of the pelvic organs. For example, some patients experience stool or urinary retention or, conversely, incontinence.

Naturally, such diseases affect the mental state of a person. Depressive states, certain behavior disorders can develop. Often, progressive demyelination causes a decrease in the level of intelligence.

The most common diseases caused by the demyelinating process

In fact, there are many diseases that are somehow associated with the process of damage to myelin fibers. For example, Devik's disease is rather specific, which is accompanied by inflammation and demyelination of the optic nerves and certain segments of the spinal cord.

Chronic diseases include atrophic lateral sclerosis, which is most often manifested in adulthood. The list of diseases can be replenished with such pathologies as acute encephalomyelitis, Crabbe's disease, periaxial encephalitis, as well as concentric sclerosis of Balo (more often at a young age), sclerosis Marburg and many others.

Modern diagnostic methods

If there is a slightest suspicion of such a disease, it is worthwhile to see a doctor. Naturally, there are many methods of diagnosis, but a kind of "gold standard" is magnetic resonance tomography of the head. The results of MRI help the doctor to determine the localization of the demyelination process, as well as the stage of the development of the disease, the features of its course and the rate of progression.

In the future, additional studies will be required, in particular, blood and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, etc. These tests provide an opportunity to find out the cause of the development of the disease, which is extremely important for the development of an effective therapy regimen.

Is there an effective treatment?

Unfortunately, for today there are no means that can quickly and finally save a patient from such a disease. Nevertheless, every year there are more and more drugs that appoint patients with a diagnosis of "demyelinating brain disease." Treatment, of course, depends on the variety and stage of development of the disease.

Quite effective drugs are beta-interferons, which quite well block the further progression of the disease and the risk of disability. According to statistics, this course of treatment reduces the probability of occurrence of certain complications by 30%.

Depending on the features of the course of the disease, therapy also includes the intake of muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs (usually corticosteroids), and cytostatics. Positively, the work of the brain is affected by nootropic drugs, amino acid complexes and drugs - neuroprotectors.

Approximately this treatment requires a demyelinating brain disease. The prognosis for patients depends on the variety and form of the disease, as well as the rate of its progression and the quality of the care given to a person. And do not forget that the development of new drugs is still underway.