In MS, which type of immune cells are primarily associated with inflammatory damage to the central nervous system?

In multiple sclerosis (MS), T cells are primarily associated with the inflammatory damage to the central nervous system (CNS). They play a critical role in the autoimmune response that characterizes the disease. In MS, autoreactive T cells recognize myelin as a target, leading to an inflammatory cascade that damages myelin and the underlying axons. This process contributes to the demyelination that is hallmark of MS lesions.

The involvement of T cells is significant not only because they initiate the immune response but also because they can recruit other inflammatory cells to the site of lesions. Upon activation, T cells release pro-inflammatory cytokines that exacerbate inflammation and further contribute to neuronal damage and disability in individuals with MS. Their ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and exert effects directly in the CNS makes them central players in the pathogenesis of the disease.

While B cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages also play roles in the broader immune context of MS, it is the T cells that are primarily implicated in driving the inflammatory process that leads to the neurological deficits observed in MS patients. Understanding the central role of T cells helps in developing targeted therapies aimed at modulating the immune response in this complex disease.