Targeting intracerebral inflammation in multiple sclerosis: is it feasible?

Excerpt

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Recent pivotal clinical trials have shown that anti-inflammatory treatments are effective in patients in the early relapsing stage, but so far no clear therapeutic benefits have been obtained in patients, who have entered the progressive phase of the disease [11]. As in early relapsing MS also in the progressive stage of multiple sclerosis demyelination and neurodegeneration is associated with inflammation [5], but the inflammatory process is at least in part trapped within the central nervous system behind a closed or repaired blood brain barrier [6, 8]. Thus, ideal future therapies for progressive MS should target inflammation, they should in addition have neuroprotective effects and the therapeutic agents should be able to reach the central nervous system behind an intact blood brain barrier. …