Investigation of the visual disturbances in multiple sclerosis and the effect of Pranlukast

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects cortical and subcortical areas, including those related to the visual system. A synaptopathy is also included among the pathological hallmarks of MS, and has been shown by our group to involve an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory transmission, with predominance of inhibition, in the visual system of an animal model of MS. Among the impairments in the visual cortex of patients, we highlight the reduction of visual acuity, from a slight decrease to total loss of vision, disturbances in the visual field, resulting in blind spots or partial loss, changes in color perception, in addition to the diplopia, or double vision. MS is still a disease with no cure, whose treatments focus exclusively on containing inflammation without considering synaptic pathology. Recent data from our group have demonstrated the potential of the drug pranlukast, an anti-inflammatory drug used to control asthma, in partially preventing the synaptopathy associated with MS. However, it remains to be seen whether these effects are reflected in visual behavior.