Cell-mediated hypersensitivity in multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases.

Using a direct macrophage migration inhibition test the hypersensitivity against encephalitogenic protein and phytohaemagglubinin in normal persons, multiple sclerosis patients and patients with other diseases of the central nervous system were examined. It proved that the vast majority of patients were sensitised to brain antigen. The percentage of positive tests and the percentage of migration inhibition was related to the activity of the disease. No differences were found between lymphocytes of multiple sclerosis patients and of patients with the other neurological diseases patients. Foetal calf serum was proven to depress the hypersensitivity to phytohaemagglutinin as did multiple sclerosis serum on normal lymphocytes. The results did not support the hypothesis that multiple sclerosis is caused by a cell-mediated auto-immune process.