The immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis - A survey of recent advancesand implications for future therapy

The etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) still remains elusive. However, the association of the disease with relevant genes, the characteristic white m atter infiltrates, similarities with animal models, and the fact that MS ca n be treated with immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive therapies support the notion that this disorder is autoimmune in nature. During the last few years the knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of MS increased rapidly. In this review, recent advances in our understanding about relevant pathome chanisms in inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous syst em will be discussed and the rational of some novel immunotherapies is expl ained in context of the current understanding of immunological principles.