title: Autoimmunity in demyelinating diseases.
abstract: Demyelinative diseases of the CNS and peripheral nervous system can be distinguished on the basis of primary mediation by antibody or T lymphocytes (or failure of the T-cell-mediated response) and on the basis of chronicity. The principal mechanisms are autoimmunization to myelin antigens after actual immunization with tissue or infection with cross-reactive viruses or, alternatively, persistent infection of the nervous system (viral or spirochetal) with an associated immune response to the pathogen.
authors.affiliation: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York, New York 10017.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Waksman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000941:Antigens