Multiple sclerosis: Diagnosis, disease-modifying therapy and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifocal inflammatory central nervous system disorder. There are now many highly effective disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) available as treatment options, which have a significant impact on disease activity and long-term disability. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to provide a concise overview of the diagnosis, DMTs and prognosis of MS. DISCUSSION: The diagnosis of MS is made on clinicoradiological grounds to prove dissemination of disease in both time and space in the nervous system. While the expanding options of DMTs have had a significant impact on disability, they make medication selection for individual patients more complicated. Patients with MS often have a model of care shared between the neurologist and the general practitioner. This review article summarises the key aspects of the diagnosis, DMTs and prognosis of MS relevant to the general practitioner.

The electrophysiological assessment of visual function in Multiple Sclerosis.

The assessment of vision is integral to the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Visual electrophysiology, previously a critical investigation in patients with suspected MS, has in large part been supplanted by magnetic resonance imaging in clinical routine. However, the development of multi-focal visual evoked potentials and the advent of putative re-myelinating therapies that can be monitored with these techniques has led to a resurgence of interest in the field. Here, we review the clinical applications, technical considerations and limitations of visual evoked potentials in the management of patients with MS.