Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by multiple demyelinated inflammatory lesions disseminated in the central nervous system (CNS). Additional features of MS pathology include axonal loss and gliosis. Remyelination may take place predominantly in the early stages of lesion formation. ⋯ Devic's neuromyelitis optica may represent the prototypical disease with antibody/complement-mediated demyelination, whereas cases with Balò's concentric sclerosis show oligodendrocyte dystrophy. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) may be regarded as a related condition lacking extensive demyelination. Thus, atypical MS forms may help to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms in MS.