Axonal damage in the making: Neurofilament phosphorylation, proton mobility and magnetisation transfer in multiple sclerosis normal appearing white matter

► Neurofilaments are phosphorylated ► Protein phosphorylation competes with the free proton binding capacity ► Magnetisation transfer depends on magnetisation exchange between macromolecular bound and free protons ► In multiple sclerosis the phosphorylation status of neurofilaments is changed in otherwise normal appearing axons ► In vivo assessment of early axonal pathology is possible using magnetisation transfer