As it turns out MS patients have significantly higher levels of iron in their frontal cortex – something known for a century. Doctors diagnosing multiple sclerosis for the first time can use the iron level as an additional diagnosing indicator. Researchers funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research attempted to correlate the increased iron levels with the size of jugular veins. The findings did not support the correlation but did confirmed the differences in iron levels between MS and non-MS patients. So if you are in the process of being diagnosed asked your doctor to check the iron level in your frontal cortex.

Information & image from October 28, 2013 Science Daily: “New Imaging Research Shows Increased Iron in the Brain in Early Stages of MS”, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131028114832.htm.