Introduction to autoimmune neurology

Considering the diversity and numbers of targets expressed on the estimated 500 billion glia and slightly less numerous but more diverse neurons, if any channel, receptor or protein on such a cell can be the target of the immune system, we need only imagine the possibilities. As those before us looked to the heavens and ultimately walked on the moon, we need to recognize the potential implications of autoimmune neurology - a new subspecialty in neurology that has truly launched! Its importance cannot be overstated as many of the disorders now recognized as autoimmune are treatable and reversible, representing a shift from the traditional view held by many in the lay and medical community that neurologists diagnose but don't treat! In this introductory chapter we provide a brief over-view of how the field developed, tabulate the authors and contents of the individual topics covered in each chapter, and describe some of the on-going challenges of the field.