Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Invited Review

History and prospects of multiple sclerosis treatment

Jin Nakahara, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1) Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system of unknown etiology. Based on a hypothesis that MS is caused by certain viral infections, the efficacy of interferon β was examined in patients and it became the first disease-modifying drug (DMD) approximately 30 years ago. Through the series of research utilizing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, many other DMDs were later developed. With emerging insights on limitation of the animal model, newer treatment strategies are being developed based on pathological findings from MS patients. In the current article, the history of MS treatment and its future prospects will be reviewed and discussed.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (1770K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 62: 517|523, 2022)
key words: multiple sclerosis, treatment, disease-modifying drugs, history of treatment, prospects of treatment

(Received: 12-Feb-22)