Multiple Sclerosis

This latest edition to the 'Contemporary Neurology Series' will fill one of the few remaining 'neurologic gaps' within the Series. 'Multiple Sclerosis,' written solely by Moses Rodriguez, Orhun Kantarci and Istvan Pirko of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN will offer proven, effective treatments for specific presentations and symptoms of multiple sclerosis along with a pathophysiological explanation of why they work. It bridges a needed gap between overly simplistic therapy manuals and basic science texts that discuss human disease only insofar as it mimics what is observed in animal models of the disease in the laboratory. Additionally, it seeks to offer an efficient integrative approach to symptomatic treatment to avoid over-medication and side effects. It discusses the heterogeneous causes of the disease and the need to develop individualized treatments that address the basic pathophysiologic processes that characterize each patient's disease with the future goal of individualized medicine. 'Multiple Sclerosis' will covers both the basic research aspects of MS: epidemiology, neuropathology, genetics, and immunology as well as the treatment options associated with the MS patient: sleep, steroids, pharma, neuropsychology, and growth factors (to name a few). 'Multiple Sclerosis' will focus on the medical treatment - drug treatment - of MS rather than on physical medicine and rehabilitation (not the author's strength). The authors will also make ample use of flow diagrams, bulleted points, and tables to help the reader better understand MS and its etiology and treatment.1 THE SPECTRUM AND DIAGNOSIS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ; 2 THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ; 3 EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MS: GENETICS AND ENVIRONMENT ; 4 THE ROLE OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ; 5 NEUROPATHOLOGY: CLUES TO PATHOGENESIS ; 6 IMMUNOLOGY: HOW MUCH HAS IMMUNOLOGY TAUGHT US ABOUT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS? ; 7 NEURAL DEGENERATION AND POTENTIAL NOVEL TREATMENTS ; 8 TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: ACUTE EXACERBATIONS ; 9 DISEASE-MODIFYING THERAPIES IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ; 10 MANAGING SYMPTOMS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ; 11 FUTURE DISEASE-MODIFYING TREATMENT APPROACHES IN MS ; 12 TREATMENT TO PROMOTE REMYELINATION