An unforeseen consequence of World War II was the availability of medical information on a huge population of mostly young men who had served in the military. For the first time, the uneven distribution of MS was appreciated. A strong geographical gradient was apparent, showing that the incidence and prevalence of MS increased steadily as one moved northward or southward away from the equator.

Meanwhile, the immune system became an object of intense scientific study. Special white blood cells called B cells were discovered and shown to produce proteins called antibodies. It was soon learned that antibodies neutralize viruses and other infectious agents. Antibodies are also capable of attacking the body’s own tissues.

There were more studies of EAE (See above section: Complexities—and an unrecognized breakthrough). For example, experiments showed that EAE could be transmitted by transferring T cells (another type of white blood cell) from an affected animal to a well one, showing that EAE was an autoimmune disease. And at last, scientists recognized that EAE was in many ways an excellent model of human MS.

But, beyond the world of research, doctors who treated people with MS in the 1950s continued to suspect the cause lay in impaired blood flow, so circulation stimulators dominated treatment. These therapies were used without controlled studies to track the results, studies called clinical trials, so no reproducible or valid information could emerge about either safety or effectiveness.

Reference

Written by Loren A. Rolak, MD. Reproduced by permission from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, USA. © NMSS, 2003