Pseudo-multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is among the most crippling diseases of the nervous system in young adults, and diagnosis can be difficult. It is true that MS can exist without magnetic resonance imaging or cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities, but whenever there are an atypical clinical pattern and no confirmatory laboratory tests, then "pseudo-MS" might be considered. Six cases of presumed pseudo-MS are reported. Psychologic treatment of these cases was unsatisfactory. Treatment in all such cases will be difficult, but more so when MS cannot be disproved and when the patient resists a psychogenic explanation for the symptoms.