Principal Investigator: Stephen Kirzinger
Office: (502) 852-0068
E-mail: sskirz01@gwise.louisville.edu
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Autoimmune means that the body actually launches an immune response to itself. Chronic means of long duration, continuing or lingering.
A covering called a myelin sheath protects all nerve cells. Symptoms occur when damage to the myelin sheath takes place. The current theory is that when the body launches this immune response, the cells responsible for the attack, the T-cells and macrophages break through the blood-brain barrier and produce inflammation in the myelin sheath. The areas of damage are called plaques.
Visual changes, (blurred vision with blind spots) and muscle weakness with sensation of numbness, prickling or tingling in the extremities occur often and have no consistent pattern. As the disease progresses, different nerve groups may be affected with or without improvement in the original symptoms. Other common symptoms include urinary retention, double vision, tremors and spasticity (stiff and awkward movements). Most patients live a relatively normal lifespan, but are often progressively disabled.
The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the effectiveness of "Chimerism" to treat Multiple Sclerosis. This protocol will be expanded to Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus and a number of other autoimmune diseases when proof of principle is established.
The purpose of this study would be to evaluate the effectiveness of "Mixed Chimerism" to treat Multiple Sclerosis.
More About BMT and Mixed ChimerismFor more information please call 1-877-Ildstad (1-877- 453-7823).
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