Multiple Sclerosis Research in Europe

Multiple sclerosis is an unique disease with a tremendous impact on social life in countries with moderate climates. Its cause is unknown. In recent years however hopes have been raised that the disease might be fought, and possibly cured. With the disappearance of poliomyelitis as the main paralyzing disease multiple sclerosis has taken its place as the single disease that is responsible for paralyzing the young with an incurable affliction of long duration, for social disruption and for an 1 economic impact that is estimated to be higher than heart disease • A multi-national, mUlti-disciplinary approach to this extremely disabling disease is urgently needed in this phase of hopeful scientific developments. The Commission of the European Communities therefore sponsored a Con­ ference on Multiple Sclerosis Research in Europe on 29,30 and 31 January 1985 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, with the aim of formulating practical proposals for such cooperation in the Communities. This volume contains the papers read at that conference.

Section I Clinical Studies.- 1 Clinical Studies in Multiple Sclerosis.- 2 Clinical Trials.- 3 Onset, Course and Prognosis of Multiple Sclerosis.- 4 A Comparative Study Between Multiple Sclerosis Out-patients and In-patients Staying at a Specialized Multiple Sclerosis Clinic.- 5 Incapacity and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis.- 6 Immunosuppression with Cyclophosphamide in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.- 7 Anti-lymphocyte Serum in Severe Multiple Sclerosis.- 8 Long-term Prescription of Azathioprine in Multiple Sclerosis. A Review of Published Series.- 9 Azathioprine Assessment in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Clinical Aspects.- 10 Dietary Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis.- 11 An Eight Years Follow-up Study of Transfer Factor Treatment on the Course of Multiple Sclerosis.- 12 Compact Manual for Multiple Sclerosis Registration in Clinical Research.- 13 Comparison of Multiple Sclerosis Incidence Clinical and ABR Data Indicates a Higher Degree of Dissemination of Lesions in a Progressive than in a Remitting Course.- Section II Immunology.- 14 Multiple Sclerosis and Immunity: Facts, Fiction and Future Development.- 15 The Spectrum of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis.- 16 T Cell Subsets in Multiple Sclerosis.- 17 Functional Differences Between Cerebrospinal Fluid and Peripheral Blood T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis.- 18 Characterization of T Cell Subsets and Macrophages in Active Demyelinating Multiple Sclerosis Lesions.- 19 Determination of Lymphocyte Subsets in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF).- 20 la-presenting Cells in Early Multiple Sclerosis Lesions and Adjacent Normal Looking White Matter; A Morphological Study.- 21 Developmental Aspects of Oligodendrocyte Structure and Function.- 22 Monoclonal Antibodies against Oligodendrocytes; A Morphological Study.- 23 The Relationship of Immunological and Histological Abnormalities in Multiple Sclerosis.- 24 Towards Cloning of Lymphoid Cells from Cerebrospinal Fluid.- 25 Activation of Natural Cytotoxic Activity In Vitro with Lymphocytes from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.- 26 Molecular and Cellular Basis of Autoimmune Encephalitogenesis.- 27 Cytotoxic Antibodies in Multiple Sclerosis.- 28 An Immunological Function for Astrocytes.- Section III Biochemistry, Neurobiology, Myelin.- 29 The Biochemistry of Myelin.- 30 The Cerebrospinal Fluid Immunoglobulins in Multiple Sclerosis.- 31 Multiple Sclerosis: A Two Stage Process? Studies on the Abnormalities of Cerebral Spinal Fluid by Means of Isotopie Cisternography.- 32 CSF Immunoglobulins and Clinical Course.- 33 Immunoglobulin Abnormalities for IgG, IgA and IgM in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Multiple Sclerosis Patients.- 34 Immunoglobulin IgG Abnormalities and the Oligodonal Pattern of IgG in Multiple Sclerosis Brains.- 35 IgG Synthesis in Multiple Sclerosis.- 36 Antigenicity of Galactosylceramide.- 37 Immune Complexes and Complement in Multiple Sclerosis.- 38 Myelin Basic Protein Like Reactivity in Normal Serum.- 39 Blood-brain Barrier in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis and Multiple Sclerosis. A Minireview.- 40 The Possible Role of Viral Infections in Multiple Sclerosis.- Section IV HLA, Epidemiology, Genetics.- 41 Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative Etiological Study in Italy.- 42 A Multicenter Study of the Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Italy. Design of the Study.- 43 HLA Markers and Course of Disease in Multiple Sclerosis.- 44 HLA Antigens in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in the Benelux.- 45 HLA Antigens and Multiple Sclerosis in Barbagia, Sardinia: Preliminary Results.- 46 Clinical and Immunogenetic Data of 33 Double Case Families with Multiple Sclerosis: A Starting Point for Further Analyses on the DNA Level.- 47 Twin Studies in Multiple Sclerosis.- Section V Imaging and Neurophysiology.- 48 The Role of Imaging in the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.- 49 Nuclear Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis Brain Lesions.- 50 Neurophysiological Studies in Demyelination and Remyelination.- 51 Horizontal Eye-movement Abnormalities in Multiple Sclerosis and Optic Neuritis.- 52 The Vestibulo-ocular Reflex in Multiple Sclerosis.- 53 New Possibilities in the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis by Accurate Registration of Eye Movements with the DMI Method.- 54 A Parametric Study of Saccadic Eye Movements in Follow-up of Normals and Multiple Sclerosis Patients.- 55 Visual Evoked Responses in Definite and Suspected Multiple Sclerosis. Comparison of them to Cerebrospinal Fluid Oligodonal Bands.