Department of Neurology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea
In the last decade of the 20th century, the development of pharmacological agents for MS paralleled
advances in the understanding of disease pathophysiology, in neuroimmunology, and in neuroimaging.
Although MS was previously thought to be primarily a disease of CNS myelin, recent neuropathologic
studies have confirmed the evidence of axonal injury in both the early and late stages of the illness.
The knowledge about early intervention leads us to revise the diagnostic criteria for MS, which
should be required to prevent further axonal damage. Consequently, this article will provide a
general overview of MS, focusing on current concepts of diagnostic criteria, pathology/pathogenesis,
and risk factors.
Journal of Multiple Sclerosis 3(1):13-19, 2012
