What causes the holes?
 

I'm a bit confused.

Whilst I know/think of my MS as; my symptoms have originated from damage to the myelin causing my signals to go haywire and find an alternate route, thus calming the symptoms once they find a new path.

What I don't get is why does my MRI show areas that are far bigger than one or two nerve pathways wide/long/deep ???

What else is damaged for it to show up like it does?

Or is it just a large area of nerve fibres affected?

Does anyone know??? :)

Hi PF,
Go to this link. Then on the right side click on the video. It has voice too. It will explain a lot to you. There are plenty of video's to watch.

http://multiple-sclerosis.emedtv.com/

thank you for that.

i've watched the vids but they don't explain what else is damaged to cause the large scars. :(

pud's friend, I am a little confused by your question, but that could just be my issue ;)

Are you talking about large segments in the spine or brain? When speaking of "holes" do you mean lesions or what is referred to as "black holes"?

As you know MS damages the myelin sheath and that is what cauaes the mis-communication with nerve signals as well as symptoms. Sclerosis means scaring (lesions). Lesions can heal all on their own. however, black holes are permanent axon damage.

Our brain has the ability to re-route around the damaged areas but only to a point. Lesions in the spine do not have that ability, there isn't enough room.

Here is a picture that may or may not be helpful.

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_mscleros_art.htm

Is any of this information what you were looking for? If not I'm sure we can figure this out...hopefully ;)

yep, understanding the axon thing. One axon being miniscule I imagine...

now what i don't get is ..

how many/ how wide/ how thick is the 'bunch'/bundle of axons that are damaged for it to show up as such a large area on an mri ?

i can't see that so many axons (all running in the same direction ? in a bundle ?) could be in the same place for the damage to show up so large.

hence, the question, is anything ELSE damaged in the area surrounding the axons ? or is it truly just a bundle of axons that end up being quite large/wide/big ?

:Scratch-Head:

i think this clears up my spinal question.
just the brain one to go...

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec06/ch076/ch076d.html

Maybe read this Pud's friend. It might help?

page 6

http://www.mscenter.org/images/stori...er09lowres.pdf

Scroll up to page 5, very interesting. Or any other pages you might want to read.

thank you Lady. explained a lot. (not my favourite piece of information/article for the simple fact that it's too factual and gloomy for my liking)