Jean-Martin Charcot, professor of Neurology at the University of Paris, was the first to complete a detailed study of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. In 1868, Charcot analyzed some unusual symptoms in a young female patient—tremor, slurred speech, and abnormal eye movements—comparing them to other patients with similar symptoms. He documented his observations and wrote a clinical-pathological definition of MS that is still accurate today.

The three major signs of MS—diplopia (double vision), ataxia (disturbances of balance or co-ordination), and dysarthria (difficulties with, or slurred speech)—are called Charcot’s Triad, in recognition of his findings.

Although Charcot could only identify the main features of MS, 20th and 21st century scientists have been more educated on the biology behind the disease and the role bacteria and viruses play in its etiology. This knowledge has opened the doors to more effective treatments and better prognoses for people diagnosed with MS.

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