The Dramatic Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries on Myelin

Symptoms That May Arise From The Loss Of Myelin

Symptoms can range from a mild concussion to impaired thinking or memory, personality changes, depression, vision, hearing problems and to an even farther extent, epilepsy, coma, or in worst cases, even death.

A brain injury can kill neurons outright or slowly starve them of oxygen and nutrients they need to survive.

This, in turn, destroys neural pathways between them, affecting the whole neuronal circuitry.

Research done by Rutgers University concluded after studying laboratory rats that the birth of new neurons decline more rapidly after a head injury than it would during aging.

This proves to be a problem as the brain is primarily composed of neurons. It allows the body to communicate, learn and remember. In short – we rely on neurons to function.

Neurons (nerve cells) have three parts that carry out the functions of communication and integration: these include dendrites, axons, and axon terminals. The signals are passed to the brain with the myelin sheath allowing a nerve signal to travel faster and more effectively.

So what happens when damage occurs to the Myelin?