Multiple Sclerosis Research in Europe : Report of a Conference on Multiple Sclerosis Research in Europe, January 29th–31st 1985, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities, As Advised by the Committee on Medical Pub

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. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Clinical Studies in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 3-12 Clinical Trials....Pages 13-14 Onset, Course and Prognosis of Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 15-30 A Comparative Study between Multiple Sclerosis Out-patients and In-patients staying at a specialized Multiple Sclerosis Clinic....Pages 31-40 Incapacity and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 41-44 Immunosuppression with Cyclophosphamide in Multiple Sclerosis Patients....Pages 45-48 Anti-Lymphocyte Serum in Severe Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 49-53 Long-term Prescription of Azathioprine in Multiple Sclerosis. A Review of Published Series....Pages 55-59 Azathioprine Assessment in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Clinical Aspects....Pages 61-70 Dietary Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 71-79 An 8 Years Follow-up Study of Transfer Factor Treatment on the Course of Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 81-83 Compact Manual for Multiple Sclerosis Registration in Clinical Research....Pages 85-93 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....Pages 95-99 Front Matter....Pages 101-101 Multiple Sclerosis and Immunity: Facts, Fiction and Future Development....Pages 103-107 The Spectrum of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis....Pages 109-113 T-cell Subsets in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 115-122 Functional Differences between Cerebrospinal Fluid and Peripheral Blood T-cells in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 123-130 Characterization of T-cell Subsets and Macrophages in Active Demyelinating Multiple Sclerosis Lesions....Pages 131-139 Determination of Lymphocyte Subsets in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)....Pages 141-142 Ia-Presenting Cells in early Multiple Sclerosis Lesions and Adjacent Normal Looking White Matter; A Morphological Study....Pages 143-151 Front Matter....Pages 101-101 Developmental Aspects of Oligodendrocyte Structure and Function....Pages 153-158 Monoclonal Antibodies Against Oligodendrocytes; A Morphological Study....Pages 159-162 The Relationship of Immunological and Histological Abnormalities in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 163-166 Towards Cloning of Lymphoid Cells from Cerebrospinal Fluid....Pages 167-174 Activation of Natural Cytotoxic Activity In Vitro with Lymphocytes from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 175-183 Molecular and Cellular Basis of Autoimmune Encephalitogenesis....Pages 185-193 Cytotoxic Antibodies in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 195-198 An Immunological Function for Astrocytes....Pages 199-206 The Biochemistry of Myelin....Pages 209-215 The Cerebrospinal Fluid Immunoglobulins in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 217-223 Multiple Sclerosis: A Two Stage Process?....Pages 225-229 CSF Immunoglobulins and Clinical Course....Pages 231-239 Immunoglobulin Abnormalities for IgG, IgA and IgM in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Multiple Sclerosis Patients....Pages 241-250 Immunoglobulin IgG Abnormalities and the Oligoclonal Pattern of IgG in Multiple Sclerosis Brains....Pages 251-256 IgG Synthesis in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 257-266 Antigenicity of Galactosylceramide....Pages 267-270 Immune Complexes and Complement in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 271-275 Myelin Basic Protein Like Reactivity in Normal Serum....Pages 277-281 Blood-Brain Barrier in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis and Multiple Sclerosis. A Minireview....Pages 283-287 The Possible Role of Viral Infections in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 289-292 Front Matter....Pages 293-293 Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative Etiological Study in Italy....Pages 295-303 A Multicenter Study of the Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Italy. Design of the Study....Pages 305-314 HLA Markers and Course of Disease in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 315-321 HLA-Antigens in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in the Benelux....Pages 323-328 HLA Antigens and Multiple Sclerosis in Barbagia, Sardinia: Preliminary Results....Pages 329-332 Clinical and Immunogenetic Data of 33 Double Case Families with Multiple Sclerosis: A Starting Point for Further Analyses on the DNA Level....Pages 333-336 Twin Studies in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 337-341 Front Matter....Pages 343-343 The Role of Imaging in the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 345-348 Nuclear Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis Brain Lesions....Pages 349-352 Neurophysiological Studies in Demyelination and Remyelination....Pages 353-356 Horizontal Eye-Movement Abnormalities in Multiple Sclerosis and Optic Neuritis....Pages 357-362 The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 363-372 New Possibilities in the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis by Accurate Registration of Eye Movements with the DMI Method....Pages 373-381 A Parametric Study of Saccadic Eye Movements in Follow-up of Normals and Multiple Sclerosis Patients....Pages 383-392 Visual Evoked Responses in Definite and Suspected Multiple Sclerosis. Comparison of Them to Cerebrospinal Fluid Oligoclonal Bands....Pages 393-397 Back Matter....Pages 399-407