Liquor-cytological investigations in multiple sclerosis.

The report deals with values of cell number and total protein in intermittent and chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis taking into account age and sex. Moreover, the average values of monocytic, lymphocytic and lymphoid cells are correlated with age and sex. Finally, monocytic, lymphocytic and lymphoid cell forms are compared with agarelectrophoretic gamma 3- and gamma 4-globulin augmentation. For these investigations we summarized the parameters of 213 patients with multiple sclerosis according to the criteria of BAuer et al. (1973) and Poser et al. (1973). In intermittent multiple sclerosis there was a preponderance of lymphocytic and lymphoid cell forms, while in chronic-progressive syndromes and late polysclerosis monocytic cell reactions dominated. Although in chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis nearly the same changes in the gamma-globulin spectrum are demonstrable there seems to exist a disturbed condition of immunity which is expressed in a progressing demyelinization process.