Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive demyelination and neurodegeneration of the central nervous system (CNS), constituting the most common demyelinating disease of the CNS in humans. Although intensive research over many decades has unveiled many pathophysiological mechanisms in the development of MS, the cause is still unknown. Nevertheless, it does seem clear that genetic susceptibility and environmental factors play crucial roles. Trending Topics in Multiple Sclerosis is a book that provides an insight into some of the main problems currently debated in this area of research, focusing on topics that deal with genetic and environmental risk factors, pathophysiological mechanisms, neurocognitive findings, and neuroprotective strategies.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic and often disabling disease of the nervous system, affecting about 1 million people worldwide. Even though it has been known for over a hundred years, no cause or cure has yet been discovered-but now there is hope. New therapies have been shown to slow the disease progress in some patients, and the pace of discoveries about the cellular machinery of the brain and spinal cord has accelerated. This book presents a comprehensive overview of multiple sclerosis today, as researchers seek to understand its processes, develop therapies that will slow or halt the disease and perhaps repair damage, offer relief for specific symptoms, and improve the abilities of MS patients to function in their daily lives. The panel reviews existing knowledge and identifies key research questions, focusing on: Research strategies that have the greatest potential to understand the biological mechanisms of recovery and to translate findings into specific strategies for therapy. How people adapt to MS and the research needed to improve the lives of people with MS. Management of disease symptoms (cognitive impairment, depression, spasticity, vision problems, and others). The committee also discusses ways to build and financially support the MS research enterprise, including a look at challenges inherent in designing clinical trials. This book will be important to MS researchers, research funders, health care advocates for MS research and treatment, and interested patients and their families.

A handy, practical, and management-oriented neurology sourcebook – delivering everything you need in one easy-to-carry volume CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment Neurology, 2e provides busy clinicians with practical, up-to-date strategies for assessing and managing the most frequently seen neurologic conditions in adults and children. Features Consistent presentation includes Essentials of Diagnosis, Symptoms and Signs, Diagnostic Studies, Differential Diagonsis, Treatment, and Prognosis Coverage of disorders in both adults and children Practical information on common conditions such as headaches, movement disorders, and central nervous system infections Expert help with ischemicand hemorrhagic stroke, epilepsy, sleeping disorders, dizziness, hearing loss, dementia and memory loss, psychiatric problems, and more Thorough coverage of diagnostic tests More than 100 informative photos and illustrations Updated with the latest findings and developments This second edition will be valuable to anyone who sees patients with neurologic complaints, whether in primary care or the neurology clinic.

Revised and updated second edition of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders: Clinical Guide to Diagnosis, Medical Management, and Rehabilitation, the only comprehensive but practical source of core information on multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating disorders. Intended as a ready reference for clinicians who provide ongoing care to MS patients, this book combines evidence-based science with experience-based guidance to present current standards and management protocols from leading MS centers. Beginning with the scientific underpinnings of MS for clinicians, the book proceeds through diagnosis, including initial symptoms, diagnostic criteria and classification, imaging, and differential diagnosis, and onto approved treatments for the various MS types and emerging therapies. Later parts of the book discuss symptom management and rehabilitation with chapters focusing on specific side effects, along with considerations for special populations, comorbidities, societal and family issues, and related autoimmune disorders that are often mistaken for MS. Throughout, chapters include lists of Key Points both for clinicians and for patients and families, and management pearls are boxed for quick reference and clinical utility. Illustrations, tables, algorithms, assessment scales, and up-to-date MRI imaging enrich the text, making this a wide-ranging clinical reference for all members of the MS care team. New to the Second Edition: Includes summary recommendations from new AAN practice guidelines for use of DMTs All chapters updated to reflect the latest literature and diagnostic criteria Five entirely new chapters added to expand coverage of treatment, rehabilitation and symptom management, and special issues related to MS Treatment section has been completely revised to better capture current approaches to disease modifying therapies, with separate chapters devoted to injection and oral therapies, infusion therapies, and treatments for progressive forms of MS Related autoimmune diseases section significantly expanded to include transverse myelitis, autoimmune encephalitis, and neurosarcoidosis

This text provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical and basic science aspects of MS. It is designed to be of practical use to clinical neurologists, and addresses all of the major issues that may occur in the management of persons with MS.

What causes multiple sclerosis? When will there be a cure? Dr. Howard Weiner has spent nearly three decades trying to find answers to the mysteries of multiple sclerosis, an utterly confounding and debilitating disease that afflicts almost half a million Americans. Curing MS is his moving, personal account of the long-term scientific quest to pinpoint the origins of the disease and to find a breakthrough treatment for its victims. Dr. Weiner has been at the cutting edge of MS research and drug development, and he describes in clear and illuminating detail the science behind the symptoms and how new drugs may hold the key to "taming the monster." From the "Twenty-one Points" of MS--a concise breakdown of the knowns and unknowns of the disease--to stories from the frontlines of laboratories and hospitals, Curing MS offers a message of hope about new treatments and makes a powerful argument that a cure can--and will--be found.

A translational overview of neuroimmune diseases for neuroscientists and clinicians that clarifies the pathological mechanisms underlying neuroimmune diseases and builds a comprehensive bridge between the latest research findings and their clinical implications in daily practice. The material is presented in two steps. The first section comprises a review of the pathogenic actions of immune cells in brain diseases. Here the authors discuss the mechanisms through which immune cells disrupt the functions of nerve cells. The second section explores the ways in which the brain becomes dysfunctional due to impaired nerve cell function. Based on pathogenesis, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are discussed for each clinical category. The book will be invaluable for use in clinical practice of neuroimmune diseases