Multiple Sclerosis Identification in Children

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in children is hard to determine because of its low frequency and other conditions that could also be linked to the central nervous system. Multiple Sclerosis is a condition that involves attacking of the nerves or more specifically myelin, the fatty material on the nerves. Our body can regenerate myelin but over time this process begins to stop working. Eventually the nerves are actually damaged causing the nerves to stop transmitting messages to the brain causing the body to breakdown.
A study was done testing for distinct high protein levels in children affected compared to a control of same age and gender. This was done using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with mass spectrometry. The results found that there were 12 specific proteins that had significantly increased levels compared to that of the control group. Although this is a small group this finding is still fairly significant as the protein markers were found significantly in the Multiple Sclerosis patients. This finding could tremendously help with the diagnostics of Multiple Sclerosis in children making the process of determining the presence of this condition quicker and more definitive giving more of a chance of catching it in the early stages of its attacks.

References

http://www.msra.org.au/about-ms/
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