myelitis

Myelitis is inflammation of the spinal cord which can disrupt the normal responses from the brain to the rest of the body, and from the rest of the body to the brain. Inflammation in the spinal cord can cause the myelin and axon to be damaged resulting in symptoms such as paralysis and sensory loss. Myelitis is classified to several categories depending on the area or the cause of the lesion; however, any inflammatory attack on the spinal cord is often referred to as transverse myelitis.

==Types of myelitis== thumb|alt=Myelination surrounding the axon|Myelitis damages the myelin sheath that wraps the axon. thumb|MRI image of transverse myelitis patient's spinal cord Myelitis lesions usually occur in a narrow region but can be spread and affect many areas. Acute flaccid myelitis: a polio-like syndrome that causes muscle weakness and paralysis. Poliomyelitis: disease caused by viral infection in the gray matter with symptoms of muscle paralysis or weakness Transverse myelitis: caused by axonal demyelination encompassing both sides of the spinal cord Leukomyelitis: lesions in the white matter Meningococcal myelitis (or meningomyelitis): lesions occurring in the region of meninges and the spinal cord