A study of demyelination of nerve fibers using dynamic phase contrast microscopy.

Dynamic phase microscopy was used for evaluation of changes in myelinated axon segment in the paranodal region of nerve fibers during demyelination. Normally paranodal myelin sheath is characterized by regular oscillations of the optical path difference with frequences of 4.2 and 6.7 Hz. Demyelination decreased the amplitude and conduction velocity in nerve fibers and shifted the characteristic frequencies of optical path difference oscillations to 2.8, 3.2, and 11 Hz. These shifts of optical path difference frequencies probably resulted from disturbances in the state of charged phospholipids and a decrease in the level of bound Ca(2+)during demyelination of nerve fiber.