What is taking so long to find a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS)?

As in all such research, we need three final elements: persistence, a bit of luck, and a brilliant observer. Most great discoveries have been dependent on the persistence of one researcher who painstakingly reviewed past results and played with all the pieces of the puzzle until they fit together. This is how L-dopa was discovered as a treatment for Parkinson's disease.

For at least fifteen years it was well known in Parkinson's research that some brain cells had a deficiency in a neurotransmitter called dopamine. But since all attempts to give dopamine to patients showed no effect, most scientists felt the dopamine deficiency was just a red herring - except for Dr. George Cotzias, a researcher who said to himself, If dopamine doesn't help Parkinson's disease, then all the rules of scientific evidence are worthless. First he tried administering dopamine in the form of dextrodopamine, but it didn't get to the brain.

Then he tried it in the form of levodopamine and some got into the brain. Finally, he discovered if he gave levodopamine in high doses, enough could get to the brain to have dramatic results. It was Cotzias's persistence that paid off.

The success of any research also depends on a little old-fashioned serendipity - making discoveries by accident. Ultimately, this serendipity needs a brilliant observer. Think of how Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.

He accidentally spilled mold in his bacteria culture plate and realized something very important occurred that destroyed the bacteria. Accidents just like this probably happened in the labs of many other researchers around the world who probably tossed the culture plate in the trash, thinking it was ruined. It took a brilliant observer like Fleming to know he'd struck gold.At this point in research, we have money and we have talent.

We can always use more of each, but with persistence, good observation, and serendipity, we'll have a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS) in the near future. MS research involves many different experts in neurology, virology, immunology, epidemiology, and genetics. There is no one scientist who is an expert in all these fields, and, unfortunately, no one is coordinating all the scientific thought.

The questions must be tackled from all their different angles, but eventually someone will have to merge all the information.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.