Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis, a review from Charcot until the McDonald criteria

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating central nervous system disease caused by different autoimmune, inflammatory and infectious mechanisms. Patients suffer disability because of its symptoms. Its clinical presentation is diverse, affecting mainly women with highest incidence in countries far from the Equator. For diagnosis some criteria have been used from the first anatomical and pathological description by Charcot, to the last criteria (McDonald’s criteria) published in 2001 and reviewed in 2005.