Definition

Verb: - To destroy or remove the myelin sheath from a nerve fiber. Myelin is a fatty insulating layer that surrounds nerve cells and is essential for the rapid transmission of electrical signals. The process of demyelination disrupts normal nerve function.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The autoimmune response can demyelinate the axons in the central nervous system.
  • Researchers observed how the virus could demyelinate peripheral nerves in the laboratory model.
  • The primary goal of the treatment is to stop the immune system from continuing to demyelinate healthy nerve tissue.

Advanced Usage

• "to become demyelinated": Describes the state of a nerve fiber that has lost its myelin sheath.
  • In multiple sclerosis, areas of the brain and spinal cord become demyelinated, leading to various neurological symptoms.

Variants and Related Words

• Demyelination (noun): The process or result of destroying the myelin sheath.
  • The MRI scan showed signs of demyelination in the patient's spinal cord.
• Demyelinating (adjective): Used to describe a disease or process that causes the loss of myelin.
  • Multiple sclerosis is a classic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.

Synonyms

• Strip myelin: A more descriptive phrase for the same action.
• Degrade the myelin sheath: Emphasizes the breakdown of the sheath.

Related Terms (Contextual)

• Myelin: The fatty substance that forms the sheath.
• Remyelinate (verb): The process of repairing or restoring the myelin sheath, often considered the opposite action.
  • The body has a limited capacity to remyelinate damaged nerves.

Verb

1. destroy the myelin sheath of
   • the disease demyelinated the nerve fibers