Dr. Bill Code has known Dr. Bernie Juurlink for 30 years. So when Dr. Juurlink recently moved back to Canada, it was indeed fortunate for us that he settled on Vancouver Island. The two friends got together for Dr. Code’s birthday this week and Dr. Juurlink expressed his keen interest to join the ongoing efforts of doctors and researchers around the world to uncover the full potential of CCSVI and its relationship to neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Code worked with Dr. Juurlink in stroke research early in their careers. In the mid-1990’s, Dr. Juurlink went on to examine at a micro level the role of several cellular factors in creating areas of low oxygen in the brain and resulting damage.

Here’s an abstract of one of his early papers:

The multiple sclerosis lesion: initiated by a localized hypoperfusion in a central nervous system where mechanisms allowing leukocyte infiltration are readily upregulated?

B. H. J. Juurlink

Medical Hypotheses, Volume 51, Issue 4, October 1998, Pages 299-303

Abstract

 A mechanism is proposed that may explain the factors that initiate a multiple sclerosis (MS) lesion. It is based upon the following two hypotheses: (i) there is a lower stimulus threshold for upregulating the mechanisms that result in leukocyte infiltration in individuals predisposed to developing MS; (ii) the MS lesion is initiated as a reduction in blood flow to a localized region of white matter. This reduction in blood flow leads to: (a) degenerative white matter changes affecting oligodendrocytes; (b) upregulation of chemokines in the endothelial cells and/or glial cells; and (c) upregulation of cell adhesion molecules on endothelial cells. Signals from the hypoxemic and hypoglycemic glial cells, likely involving myelin molecules and cytokines, result in an inflammatory immune response that results in rampant demyelination. Evidence supporting the proposed mechanism is presented, as well as suggestions on how to test the validity of the proposal.

Dr. Juurlink was interviewed by Avis Favaro in her original W5 series on CCSVI. He is one of the pioneers of this emerging theory and we are delighted he agreed to speak at our New Discoveries, New Beginnings Canadian CCSVI Conference.

You still have time to get your ticket. This is one event you really cannot miss if you are a CCSVI patient, caregiver, or health professional.

Register at this website:*

http://newdiscoveriesnewbeginnings.eventbrite.com

*Because media coverage appeared later than expected, we’ve extended registration to noon on September 2nd.

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