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Brief description/objective

The key aims of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Cohort-Study (SMSC) are
(1) To maintain a long-term cohort (>10 years) representative of the MS population currently living in Switzerland. This requires effective measures to limit drop-outs and the continuous recruitment of MS patients and
(2) To conduct a systematic follow-up with standardized, high quality collection of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, as well as body fluids.
The significant heterogeneity within the diagnostic entity and phenotype of MS is incompletely understood. A central and necessary prerequisite of further advance is a sufficient amount of high quality clinical and paraclinical (imaging, body fluids) patient data.
Nested projects will address specific research topics, and facilitate collaboration of the most qualified investigators within the group of SMSC investigators.