Multiple sclerosis and the limits of classical autoimmune theory

1

Traditional autoimmune disease concepts focus on genetic susceptibility, immune activation, and inflammation as primary drivers of tissue injury.
2

Multiple sclerosis (MS) illustrates limitations of classical autoimmune theory in explaining long-term disease outcomes.
3

In MS, neurodegeneration and disability accumulation can occur independently of overt inflammatory activity.
4

The review emphasizes the need to distinguish between susceptibility mechanisms, inflammatory activity, and progressive worsening.
5

MS highlights the importance of refining theoretical models to incorporate temporal dynamics and tissue-specific responses.