To destroy or remove the myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibers, causing them to function poorly.
From de- (remove) + myelin (the fatty coating on nerves from Greek myelos 'marrow') + -ate (verb suffix). A medical/scientific term created in the 20th century.
In diseases like multiple sclerosis, the immune system demyelinates nerve fibers—it's like stripping the insulation off electrical wires, making signals jumble and misfire!
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