Rare Neurological Disease Shines Light on Health of Essential Cells

A veterinary medicine researcher from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has applied research on a genetic central nervous system disorder, Pelizaeus Merzbacher disease (PMD), towards aiding both canine and human patients. By tracking the progress of the disease, it was determined that the disease is characterized by a mutation which causes a lack of myelin within the brain, even if the spinal cord has a healthy supply. This evaded previous methods of testing which were based around the spine. “The brain is acting differently than the spinal cord. It’s striking, on day one there is no myelin. But after some months the spinal cord develops myelin and by two years it is almost normal, but the brain is not, and the lack of myelin is the cause of death.” As a genetic condition, corrective treatment for PMD will most likely require gene therapy targeted at increasing myelin within the brain through means yet to be determined. This discovery will augment treatment research for both human and canine patients of PMD. To learn more about this study, click here.