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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