Ottawa doctor to study blocked veins in MS patients

A scan displayed by Italian Dr. Paolo Zamboni shows a partially blocked vein in an MS patient.

An Ottawa doctor is one of seven in North America to receive a grant to study a new theory linking blocked veins to multiple sclerosis, a chronic and often disabling disease targeting the brain and spinal cord.
The MS Society of Canada and the National MS Society in the United States have announced more than $2.4 million to fund research looking into the theory, which grabbed international headlines when an Italian physician found abnormalities in the veins of people who suffer from MS.
Dr. Paolo Zamboni's research suggests some of the symptoms of MS may be caused by blocked veins in the neck or spine, which he believes leads to a higher density of iron deposits on the brain. He dubbed the condition Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI).
Now, four research projects will get underway in Canada to determine if blocked veins in the neck and spine are common among MS patients.
In Ottawa, Dr. Carlos Torres of the Ottawa Hospital is receiving $100,000 over two years to use MRI technology to explore whether vein structure and iron deposits on the brain are unique to people who have MS.
The study will investigate both MS patients and healthy volunteers of the same age to determine if there are any differences.
If vein blockages are found in MS patients, the MS Society says the research could speed up treating the condition.
The MS Society hopes the research will help determine if blocked or narrow veins are the cause of MS, or related to the disease in some other way. The studies are also aimed at identifying the best way to screen for the condition.
The MS Society of Canada has committed $700,000 to the Canadian research. The two-year grants will begin on July 1.