Clinical and Pharmacological Aspects of Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases in Childhood: An Update

Title: Clinical and Pharmacological Aspects of Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases in Childhood: An Update

Volume: 8 Issue: 2

Author(s): Alberto Spalice, Pasquale Parisi, Laura Papetti, Francesco Nicita, Fabiana Ursitti, Francesca Del Balzo, Enrico Properzi, Alberto Verrotti, Martino Ruggieri and Paola Iannetti

Affiliation:

Keywords: Demyelinating disease, pediatric multiple sclerosis, ADEM, immune-mediate polyradiculoneuropathies, disease-modifying therapies, immunomodulatory therapy

Abstract: Inflammatory demyelinating diseases comprise a spectrum of disorders affecting the myelin of the central and peripheral nervous system. These diseases can usually be differentiated on the basis of clinical, radiological, laboratory and pathological findings. Recent studies have contributed to current awareness that inflammatory demyelinating diseases are not restricted to the adult age group, but are more common in pediatric age than previously believed. Some of pediatric inflammatory demyelinating diseases carry an unfavorable long-term prognosis but appropriate treatments can improve the outcome. The possibility of physical and cognitive disability resulting from these diseases, highlights the urgent need for therapeutic strategies for neurorehabilitation, neuroregeneration, and neurorepair. This review discusses characteristics of primary demyelinating diseases more frequently observed in childhood, focusing on epidemiology, clinical aspects and treatments.

Cite this article as:

Spalice Alberto, Parisi Pasquale, Papetti Laura, Nicita Francesco, Ursitti Fabiana, Del Balzo Francesca, Properzi Enrico, Verrotti Alberto, Ruggieri Martino and Iannetti Paola, Clinical and Pharmacological Aspects of Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases in Childhood: An Update, Current Neuropharmacology 2010; 8 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157015910791233141