JERUSALEM, April 23 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli study said on Tuesday that the existing multiple sclerosis drugs were found to be able to help patients suffering the incurable Williams syndrome.
Williams syndrome is a rare severe genetic disease caused by chromosomal impairment. Its main symptoms include a unique facial shape, low height, narrow, drooping shoulders, bent knees, low muscle tones and excessive joint flexibility.
The syndrome is also characterized by eating and sleeping problems, vomiting, bedwetting, high blood pressure, kidney disorders, excess calcium in the blood, dental problems, near-sightedness, strabismus and even heart problems.
In the Israeli study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the researchers found the mechanism which causes the neurological and behavioral disorders in multiple sclerosis is related to damage caused to myelin: the substance that isolates nerve cells.
The researchers separately tried two multiple sclerosis drugs on the model mice and found that they restored the motor abilities and social behavior to normal.
The researchers estimate that the findings are significant for other myelin-related diseases, such as autism and Alzheimer's.
