noun
- the loss or destruction of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve fibers, leading to impaired nerve signal transmission
Usage: medical/neurology term; typically refers to pathological processes in the central or peripheral nervous system
Examples
- Multiple sclerosis is characterized by demyelination of nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.
- The patient's symptoms worsened as demyelination progressed in the optic nerve.
- Demyelination can result from autoimmune attacks on the myelin sheath.
- MRI scans revealed areas of demyelination consistent with a demyelinating disease.
- Certain infections can trigger demyelination in susceptible individuals.
- The neurologist explained that demyelination disrupts the speed of electrical impulses along nerves.