Demyelination
Demyelination is a process in which the insulating coating (myelin sheath) around the nerves is destroyed, slowing or halting the passage of nerve impulses. The myelin sheath allows nerve impulses to be sent between the brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves in the rest of the body smoothly and quickly.
Demyelination occurs in diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain-Barré syndrome, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
May 25, 2007
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