History of Multiple Sclerosis Pt 3

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History of Multiple Sclerosis Pt 3

You've come to the History of Multiple Sclerosis Part 3. Want to go to Part 1, click here; or to go to Part 2, click here.

With the year 2001 in the history of multiple sclerosis, comes the McDonald criteria. This has nothing to do with eating hamburgers to cure your MS, however. Ian McDonald – there seem to be a lot of “Ian's” in the history of MS, hmmm... – put together this set of criteria.

It helps to speed up the diagnosis even more, so that treatment can begin sooner. In the long run, doctors feel that if treatment starts sooner the progression of the disease will be much slower.

Here's the McDonald Criteria in a nutshell – well actually in a table.

Clinical Presentation	Additional Data Needed
* 2 or more attacks (relapses) * 2 or more objective clinical lesions	None; clinical evidence will suffice (additional evidence desirable but must be consistent with MS)
* 2 or more attacks * 1 objective clinical lesion	Dissemination in space, demonstrated by: * MRI * or a positive CSF and 2 or more MRI lesions consistent with MS * or further clinical attack involving different site
* 1 attack * 2 or more objective clinical lesions	Dissemination in time, demonstrated by: * MRI * or second clinical attack
* 1 attack * 1 objective clinical lesion(monosymptomatic presentation)	Dissemination in space demonstrated by: * MRI * or positive CSF and 2 or more MRI lesions consistent with MS and Dissemination in time demonstrated by: * MRI * or second clinical attack
Insidious neurological progressionsuggestive of MS(primary progressive MS)	One year of disease progression (retrospectively or prospectively determined) and Two of the following: a. Positive brain MRI (nine T2 lesions or four or more T2 lesions with positive VEP) b. Positive spinal cord MRI (two focal T2 lesions) c. Positive CSF

As you can see, the criteria is more a tool for doctors than the general population – but you can kind of get the idea. Doctors can go through the list and check off what their patient has. If it fits, then they can clearly be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

In 2010 the history of multiple sclerosis brings us oral medications. They join the list of other treatments for multiple sclerosis. These include laquinimod, gilenya, and natalizumab. One, stops the lymphocytes which trigger MS from ever reaching the CNS (central nervous system).

The history of multiple sclerosis has not yet been finished. As more research is done, and more tools and technology are being developed; the cure for MS is very near. Even alternative treatments show much promise. So keep the hope alive. Stay healthy so that you will be here to benefit from the benefits of an MS Free world.

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