Demyelinating diseases in pediatric age multiple sclerosis: New diagnostic strategies

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most severe disabling demyelinating disease characterizated by an alternating course of exacerbation and remission usually described in adult age. In the last ten years an increasing number of pediatric cases of MS has been observed. The diagnosis of childhood MS may be difficult either for clinical manifestations or for other diagnostic possibilities with different neurological conditions such as tumors, vascular disease, demyelinating/dysmyelinating encephalopathies. The diagnosis of MS could be made by clinical observation and paraclinical investigations including MRI, VEP, BAEP, SEP, CSF immunological studies. Recently, in vivo evaluation of cytokines and adhesion molecules profile has provided valuable insights into pathogenetic mechanism of MS in adults. The evaluation, in pediatric age, of these chemical intermediate substances, would be useful for early diagnosis of MS.