Multiple Sclerosis (Hansard, 25 February 1980)

§ Mr. Macfarlane

Current research projects which are relevant to multiple sclerosis and are supported by the Medical Research Council are listed below. Those projects which may yield information on the causes of multiple sclerosis are indicated with an asterisk. The council also supports more basic work in the field of neurobiology which may, in the long term, increase understanding of this disease.

I am informed by the council that expenditure in 1978–79 on the projects listed amounted to £645,000. The geographical variation in the prevalence of multiple sclerosis has been extensively documented, but studies are continuing. While this variation suggests an environmental factor it does not correlate in all respects with climatic factors.

Projects directly supported by the Medical Research Council

Establishment and Title of Project *National Institute for Medical Research Virology Division London Aetiology of multiple sclerosis and other neurological disease (includes analysis of a study carried out on the Faroe Islands). Clinical Research Centre Division of Immunology Harrow, Middlesex Use of cytotoxic drugs, LAG, transfer factor, interferon in collagen diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis and multiple sclerosis. Clinical Research Centre Division of Surgical Sciences Harrow, Middlesex Immuno-suppressive or immunopotentiating influences of simple variations in diet, *Clinical Research Centre Division of Surgical Sciences Harrow, Middlesex Studies of lymphocyte cell surfaces particularly from multiple sclerosis patients 448W and techniques of lymphocytes in culture. Clinical Research Centre Division of Surgical Sciences Harrow, Middlesex Clinical trial of intensive immunosuppression therapy in multiple sclerosis with exact immunological monitoring of patients. *MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge The immunopathology of measles virus infection, particularly with respect to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. MRC Neurological Prostheses Unit London Posterior Column Stimulator. *MRC Virology Unit Glasgow Genetics, molecular biology and immunology of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2. *MRC Virology Unit Glasgow Investigation of multiple sclerosis and other human neurological material. Institute of Neurology London Changes in cerebral evoked potentials in patients with various lesions of nervous system and sense organs (with special reference to multiple sclerosis). Institute of Neurology London Study of the electrospinogram in healthy subjects and patients with neurological lesions (including multiple sclerosis).

Projects supported by grants for research workers in university departments and medical schools Division of Surgical Sciences Northwick Park Hospital Harrow Treatment of multiple sclerosis with immunosuppressants. *Department of Clinical Neurology Institute of Neurology London Clinical, biochemical and immunological investigations on patients with multiple sclerosis. *Department of Medicine Guy's Hospital Medical School London Auto-immunity to nervous tissue antigens in demyelinating disease. Wessex Neurological Centre University Southampton The effect of spinal cord stimulation in human spinal disease and injury and intractable pain. 449W Department of Clinical Neurology University Oxford Dorsal column stimulation in treatment of multiple sclerosis. *Strangeways Research Laboratory Cambridge Neurotoxicity of 1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylate in mice. A model of subacute combined degeneration of the cord. *Department of Bacteriology University Bristol The integration of measles virus genome in the host cell in chronic measles infection. Department of Clinical Neurology University Oxford Cerebral and spinal event-related potentials in neurological disease. Department of Clinical Neurophysiology Institute of Neurology London A study of possible methods of increasing the sensitivity of evoked response recording in clinical testing. *Department of Biochemistry University Leeds Studies into the structure and organization of major protein species of bovine myelin. *Department of Biology University York The altered composition and antigenicity of nerve tissue membranes in multiple sclerosis. Department of Communication and Neuroscience University Keele Visual function in patients with multiple sclerosis: An analysis of colour vision and temporal discrimination. *Institute of Pathology Public Health Laboratory Service London Pathogenesis and pathway of viruses into central nervous system after intra-ocular injection in rabbits. *Sobell Department of Neurophysiology Institute of Neurology London The role of Schwann cells in the development of electrical excitability and impulse condition in demyelinated axons. *Department of Microbiology Guy's Hospital Medical School London Studies on persistent infection with papovaviruses in man. 450W *Virology Royal Postgraduate Medical School London Cell-mediated immune responses to measles virus with particular reference to diseases of C.N.S. *Biochemistry Queen's University Belfast Canine distemper virus infection of small animals as a model for neurological diseases. *Microbiology and Immunobiology Queen's University Belfast Epstein-Barr virus transformed lympho cytes in patients with multiple sclerosis. * Projects which may yield information about the causes of multiple sclerosis.