Reporting on the latest advances made in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and continuing the high standards set by earlier editions, the Handbook of Multiple Sclerosis, Third Edition examines a wide range of topics from etiology to treatment options. Analyzes recent developments in the natural history, immunopathology, lesion evolution, and therapy affecting MS treatment-including up-to-date research results from experimental therapies with t-cell vaccines, oral myelin, and monoclonal antibodies! Summarizing previous breakthroughs and pointing the way toward future research, the Handbook of Multiple Sclerosis, Third Edition provides a historical summary of the disease and examines the epidemiology and genetics of MS, including new evidence for and against an infectious etiology investigates virus-induced demyelination, emphasizing models such as canine distemper (CDV), corona, visna, and herpes simplex viruses; the semliki forest virus (SFV); and animal models of autoimmune demyelination notes the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosis, prognosis, natural history, and as a guide to therapy explores the growing evidence for axonal damage as a major cause of disability in MS summarizes the natural history of MS and delineates factors influencing exacerbations and progression of the disease assesses current clinical and biological prognostic indicators for accurate diagnoses of MS as opposed to other idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IIDDs) and evaluates the growing number of therapies for treating MS and more!