When I explain my ambition to help solve the mystery behind the etiology of Moebius to various individuals some take me seriously and wish me luck with my endeavors. Others, on the other hand are very pessimistic and retort with a snotty comment such as, "Why do you bother your not a doctor". "Your not going to do anything. Your wasting your time". These comments though dissatisfying deliver me the animosity which urges the drive inside me to help solve the puzzle of MS. To this date I have conducted my own research on topics which are unique and pretty much incomprehensible to the general population as my mother who has a knack when it comes to medical sciences claims this research I envelop myself in is, "way over her head". I love to know things; hence why I am passionate about possibly putting the pieces all together. When I say,"putting the pieces all together". I am talking about knowing the answer to every possible question concerning Moebius syndrome. Why can one syndrome have so many variances in the afflicted individuals? Why are some affected one one side and others on both? Why are some of us born with closed lips and others such as myself are born with an "open mouth" without closed lips? WHY? WHY? WHY? Like I said earlier I love to know the answers to questions. Not knowing leaves me in the dark so consequently I search for a candle to light my way through the array of blackness.
My research efforts thus far have payed off. I have learned an equal amount if not more from the numerous hours of researching than I have in my actual science classes in college. Since I am an aspiring Biology there is significant cross over between various classes required for my discipline and the subjects I am googling over the web. My research has allowed me to participate in class discussions and put in my two cents worth when it comes to topics such as regenerative medicine and the etiology of vascular disease.
I have come to learn a lot concerning the neuropathology and clinical findings in studies with MS patients.
I have learned Moebius Syndrome has it's implications not only in the facial nerves, but deeper inside whats refereed to as the "cranial nerve nuclei". These nerve nuclei are comparable to a mailman in the sense they relay information such as sensory information to the synapses similarly to the way the mailman relays the mail from the post office to your house. How does this impact the situation? Well, because nerve nuclei are impacted we now know or have a clearer understanding of the malformation which occurs during the gestational period. This implication also explains the broad spectrum we see with this syndrome as not all individuals nerve nuclei with MS are impaired. This statement is derived from findings of the largest MRI study consisting of 37 patients. The MRI specifically found defects in the brain stem which is of course where the nerve nuclei are housed.
You can view this study at:
http://www.ajnr.org/content/26/2/430.full#sec-2
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