[Multiple sclerosis: current therapies and future perspectives].

Multiple sclerosis is characterized by temporal and spatial dissemination of demyelination in the central nervous system. After a discovery of disease modifying effects of interferon beta and glatiramer acetate for multiple sclerosis, many drugs for disease modifying therapy have been developed. Recently, some multicenter studies have shown that early introduction of interferon beta or glatiramer acetate into patients with clinically isolated syndrome delayed the conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Newly developed disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis have a specific molecular target changing an immunological reaction and many of them are oral preparations instead of injectable first line therapies. Treatment options for multiple sclerosis are increasing and it is essential for the optimal treatment choice to collect information of the long-term side effects and the combined effects with first line therapies and to acquire the knowledge of the pathomechanisms about multiple sclerosis.