Advancing MS Care Through Early Intervention and Deeper CNS Insights: Jack P. Antel, MD

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“If we compare ourselves to the generation before us, they didn't have the tools that we have. In particular, the imaging tools like MRI which allowed us to see the disease, and also the technology for making therapy, especially recombinant molecules.”

Prior research into neuroimmune interactions has helped shape current and future approaches to multiple sclerosis (MS) care. Advances such as in understanding immune-central nervous system (CNS) dynamics have informed the development of targeted therapies, such as B cell–depleting agents, and improved monitoring tools like neurofilament light chain as a biomarker in MS.^1,2 Evolving imaging technologies, including PET and MRI, continue to enhance early diagnosis and disease tracking.³ These developments reflect how prior insights are contributing to more refined and personalized treatment strategies.

This was a topic featured in the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture, presented at the 2025 Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, held February 27 to March 1, in West Palm Beach, Florida, by Jack P. Antel, MD, professor of neurology and neurosurgery at McGill University.⁴ Prior to the lecture, Mark Freedman, MD, ACTRIMS President, and Véronique Miron, PhD, ACTRIMS Forum Chair, set the stage with a welcome address. After the Forum, Antel had a conversation with NeurologyLive^® to futher reflect on how advances in imaging and molecular therapies have transformed the field for the MS community. 

During the conversation, he emphasized a paradigm shift toward early therapeutic intervention to prevent relapse-driven disability in patients living with MS. Antel also outlined the emerging realization that systemic immune activity alone may not account for disease progression and that future therapies should address CNS-specific mechanisms. He also highlighted key unanswered questions in neuroimmunology, including the role of Epstein-Barr virus, patient-specific CNS responses, and subtle symptoms like cognitive dysfunction.

Click here for coverage of 2025 ACTRIMS Forum.

REFERENCES
1. Eva L, Pleș H, Covache-Busuioc RA, et al. A Comprehensive Review on Neuroimmunology: Insights from Multiple Sclerosis to Future Therapeutic Developments. Biomedicines. 2023;11(9):2489. Published 2023 Sep 8. doi:10.3390/biomedicines11092489
2. Oh J, Bar-Or A. Precision neuroimmunology in multiple sclerosis - the horizon is near. Nat Rev Neurol. 2024;20(9):507-508. doi:10.1038/s41582-024-00992-6
3. Charabati M, Wheeler MA, Weiner HL, Quintana FJ. Multiple sclerosis: Neuroimmune crosstalk and therapeutic targeting. Cell. 2023;186(7):1309-1327. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.008
4. Antel JP. Neuroimmune Interactions: How Past Lessons Can Inform the Present and Future of MS Care. Presented at ACTRIMS Forum 2025; February 27 to March 1; West Palm Beach, Florida. Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture.