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Scoring Central Nervous System Inflammation, Demyelination, and Axon Injury in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
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Tracing immature myelin in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis

Banu Anlar1, Kader Karli-Oğuz, Osman Yücel Yurtyapan

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
|December 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Immature myelin markers were found in the brain white matter and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). These findings suggest myelin composition alterations may play a role in central nervous system inflammatory disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Myelin abnormalities are implicated in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis.
  • Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate myelin composition in ADEM patients.
  • To assess citrulline as a marker of immature myelin in ADEM.

Main Methods:

  • Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to analyze myelin in normal-appearing white matter.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was performed to measure citrulline levels.

Main Results:

  • A citrulline peak, indicative of immature myelin, was detected in 7/15 ADEM patients' white matter.
  • Elevated CSF citrulline levels were observed in 4/6 ADEM patients.
  • A trend towards significance was noted when comparing ADEM patients to controls (p=0.08).

Conclusions:

  • Myelin composition may be altered in ADEM.
  • These alterations might predispose to or result from acute inflammatory central nervous system disorders.

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