History of multiple sclerosis
1395
First known description of MS-like symptoms with onset at age 18, in a Dutch nun, Lidwina of Schiedam.
1822 — 1848
Augustus d’Este describes his own MS-like symptoms over 26 years in his diary.
1868
Jean-Martin Charcot provides the first detailed clinical and pathological description of MS.
1935
Thomas Rivers develops the first animal model for MS, known as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
1942
Elvin Kabat and colleagues describe high IgG levels in the CSF of MS patients.
1950s
Introduction of corticosteroids to manage MS relapses.
1965
Christian Laterre first uses the term “oligoclonal bands” to describe CSF-specific IgG synthesis.
1973
Casper Jersild and colleagues disclose a higher frequency of certain histocompatibility antigens (HLA) in MS patients.
1981
For the first time, MS lesions are specifically detectable in brain MRI (Y.R. Young and colleagues).
1987
Hillel Panitch and colleagues show an increased rate of relapses induced by interferon gamma.
1993
Don Paty and colleagues demonstrate the efficacy of beta interferons in relapsing MS.
1995
Kenneth Johnson and colleagues demonstrate the efficacy of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) in relapsing MS.
2006
Two clinical trials (Chris Polman, Richard Rudick and colleagues) demonstrate the efficacy of natalizumab, the first monoclonal antibody used in relapsing MS, blocking lymphocyte migration across the blood-brain barrier.
2008
First positive results in relapsing MS with an anti-B cell monoclonal antibody (Rituximab).
2010
Two clinical trials (Ludwig Kappos, Jeffrey Cohen and colleagues) demonstrate the efficacy of fingolimod (Gilenya), the first oral treatment for relapsing MS.
2016
Efficacy of ocrelizumab, an anti-B cell monoclonal antibody, in relapsing MS (Stephen Hauser and colleagues) and primary progressive MS (Xavier Montalban and colleagues).
2017
Two clinical trials (2010, 2017) by Gavin Giovannoni and colleagues show the efficacy of cladribine (Mavenclad), a treatment inducing potential immune reconstitution.
2019
Genomic map by an international consortium under the leadership of Alastair Compston implicates 233 genetic variants for MS susceptibility involving peripheral immune cells and microglia.
2023
A large epidemiological study confirms Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection as a leading risk factor for developing MS (Alberto Ascherio and colleagues).
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