Introduction:What is MS Part #1

Introduction:

Over the last year, there have been over 1,500 articles published in medical journals on multiple sclerosis or animal models of the disease. The majority of these articles represent new research into MS, its causes, its mode of action or potential treatments for it. In addition, there has been an even greater amount of new research into cell biology, genetics, the immune system, other autoimmune, inflammatory and neurological diseases, virology and stem cell research - all of which give us a better understanding of the biological environment in which the disease operates.

It is impossible to sum up all of this research in a single essay and, for this reason, I intend to concentrate on those areas which seem to me to be particularly hopeful. This is, therefore, a personal view. This section will take a while to complete but I'm publishing it in installments.

There is no global authority coordinating the MS research effort. This is probably a good thing because it allows researchers to attack the problem from oblique angles and provide novel and unexpected insights into the disease. However, I intend to structure this article as if it were a progress report for just such a global research project. This project would group the research into four areas:

1. Finding the cause of multiple sclerosis Genetic associations with MS Viral and bacterial associations with MS

2. Arresting the progress of the disease Understanding the pathology of MS Treatments that might stop the course of MS Treatments that might slow the course of MS

3. Repairing the damage already done by the disease Remyelination strategies for MS Stem cell treatments for MS

4. Other Multiple Sclerosis Research Treating the symptoms of MS Understanding and assisting with the personal and social implications of MS

These are the four main goals that the RESEARCHERS work towords.It seems to me that if the medical profession can achieve the first three of these goals, we can declare multiple sclerosis to be cured. I also consider this list to be in priority sequence - if we find out what causes the disease we will be not only be in a better position to stop the progress of the disease but we may also be able to prevent any new cases. After a single generation, it will become unnecessary to arrest the course of the disease because no one will suffer from it. Similarly, if we can stop the disease in its tracks, we will buy time to repair existing damage without ongoing progress destroying our efforts at repair.

That is of course, those of us who are already carrying significant deficits as a result of MS might wish to reorder these priorities. In any event, researchers are making significant progress in all these areas.
Finding the Cause of Multiple Sclerosis
Looking for the genes that convey a susceptibility to Multiple Sclerosis