Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026
08:51
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla
Published on: February 19, 2021
Wedge-shaped medullary lesions in multiple sclerosis
Wei Qiu1, Sonja Raven, Jing-Shan Wu
1Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological disorders, University of Western Australia, Australia.
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|January 9, 2010
Summary
Multiple sclerosis patients can develop unusual wedge-shaped brain lesions. These lesions may indicate impaired venous drainage linked to chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) presents with diverse clinical and imaging features.
- Understanding the pathophysiology of MS lesions is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Observation:
- Four cases of MS exhibited unique wedge-shaped lesions in the paramedian ventral medulla oblongata.
- These medullary lesions were identified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Findings:
- The observed clinical and MRI characteristics suggest a venous drainage impairment.
- A potential link exists between these specific lesion patterns and venous pressure.
Implications:
- The findings propose a connection between medullary lesion formation and venous drainage patterns in the ventral medulla.
- Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency may contribute to the development of these characteristic MS lesions.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:25Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology
Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...
01:24Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting movement, with additional non-motor features. Its pathophysiology involves complex interactions among genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and cellular dysfunction, including dopaminergic neuron loss, protein aggregation, and mitochondrial impairment.Selective NeurodegenerationA key feature is the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to reduced...