Promotion of endogenous remyelination in multiple sclerosis

Studies in both human and experimental models demonstrate that myelin repair occurs in the central nervous system and is a normal physiologic response to myelin injury. However, remyelination in MS is often incomplete and limited. The outcome of an actively demyelinating lesion depends on the balance between factors promoting myelin destruction and myelin repair. Experimental models of CNS demyelination provide an opportunity to investigate the morphologic, cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in remyelination. This review focuses on experiments using the Theiler's virus model of demylination which indicate that manipulation of the immune response has the potential to promote endogenous CNS remyelination and functional recovery in MS.