title: Multiple sclerosis: the importance of early recognition and treatment.
abstract: Primary practitioners need to know how to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), because treatments that can slow its course appear to be most effective when started early. Several lines of evidence demonstrate that tissue damage occurs very early in the disease, and much of this damage is clinically silent.
authors.affiliation: Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. foxr@ccf.org
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic