Complement‐dependent serum

Abstract

In attempting to discover a relationship between the neurologic and immunologic abnormalities in multiple sclerosis, we found a serum factor that inhibits the ventral root response in isolated, perfused frog spinal cords. This effect is correlated with disease activity. Blocking activity of the serum was lost by heating to 56°C, restored by adding complement, and was found in the serum IgG fraction. There was no correlation of neuroelectric blockingactivity with measles complement-fixing antibody. An antibody other than that to measles virus may thus have a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.