Neuroprotection and neuroregeneration in multiple sclerosis.

Current treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) include immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive agents but no neuroprotective or regenerative therapy is available. From various animal models, we have learned that remyelination in the CNS is a potent neuroprotective mechanism. The knowledge about oligodendrocyte biology and the process of remyelination has greatly increased in recent years; however, the precise mechanisms are far from being understood. Although remyelination is, in principle, also possible in the diseased MS brain, it is not clear why it fails in many MS patients. The clinical trials performed so far either failed to show an effect or were insufficient in design. Thus, further knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of the repair processes and MS pathophysiology is required to achieve the ultimate goal of a neuroprotective and neuroregenerative treatment in MS.