What is demyelinating disease?

Also known as: demyelination, demyelinating diseases of the brain, ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis), MS (multiple sclerosis), Optic neuritis, NMO (Neuromyelitis optica), ATM (acute transverse myelitis).

The myelin sheath is a protective fatty material that wraps, protects and insulates the nerve fibers of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. It enables brain signals to travel quickly along nerves to the rest of the body. Any disease that causes damage to the myelin sheath that slows or stops nerve signals is called a demyelinating disease.

There are a number of demyelinating diseases in childhood, of which pediatric Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an uncommon one.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM