JNeurosci: Highlights From the April 5 Issue
Check out this newsworthy study from the April 5, 2017, issue of JNeurosci. Media interested in obtaining the full text of the study should contact media@sfn.org.
Plasminogen Deficiency Delays Onset, Reduces Severity of Symptoms in Rodent Model of MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system in which the immune system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that protects nerve fibers. In a new study, researchers found that mice deficient in plasminogen (the precursor to the enzyme plasmin) experienced delayed onset of a rodent model of MS, as well as had less severe symptoms and decreased demyelination in the spinal cord compared to control animals. Treatment with tranexamic acid — a widely-used medication for bleeding disorders — also delayed disease onset. Further research is needed to determine whether these findings could inform the development of new therapeutic approaches for MS and related diseases.
Corresponding author: Eric S. Mullins, eric.mullins@cchmc.org
The Journal of Neuroscience is published by the Society for Neuroscience, an organization of nearly 37,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.
