Approaches to neuroprotective strategies in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic disease that is the most common nontraumatic cause of serious disability in young adults.

We discuss the natural history of the disease, methods of measuring disease activity and burden, and cellular and molecular mechanisms of damage, in particular recent advances. These imply new therapeutic targets, which are beginning to be tested in animal models of MS as well as in patients.

The reader will learn about some recent advances in understanding MS, especially the evolution from an inflammatory phase to a neurodegenerative phase, which have different therapeutic approaches.

MS has a long-term course of accumulating deficit in which neuroinflammation evolves into neurodegeneration, which require different treatment strategies - immune modulation and neuroprotection. Neuroprotective strategies are still under development.