About the Authors

Pietro Iaffaldano

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Rosa Gemma Viterbo

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Damiano Paolicelli

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Guglielmo Lucchese

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Emilio Portaccio

Affiliation Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Benedetta Goretti

Affiliation Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Vita Direnzo

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Mariangela D'Onghia

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Stefano Zoccolella

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Maria Pia Amato

Affiliation Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Maria Trojano

mtrojano@neurol.uniba.it

Affiliation Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

Competing Interests

The authors have read the journal's policy and have the following conflicts: Maria Trojano received honoraria for consultancy or speaking from Biogen, Sanofi-Aventis, Merck Serono and Bayer-Schering and research grants from Merck Serono, Biogen and Novartis; Maria Pia Amato serves on scientific advisory boards for Biogen-Idec, Merck Serono, Bayer Schering and Sanofi Aventis and receives research support and honoraria for speaking from Biogen-Idec, Merck Serono, Bayer Schering and Sanofi Aventis; Rosa Gemma Viterbo serves on scientific advisory boards for Biogen-Idec and received honoraria for speaking from Novartis and Biogen; Damiano Paolicelli received honoraria for consultancy and/or speaking from Biogen Idec, Novartis and Bayer-Schering and research grant from Serono Foundation; Emilio Portaccio serves on a scientific advisory board for Biogen Idec and receives research support and honoraria from Merck Serono, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Sanofi Aventis and Novartis; Benedetta Goretti serves on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec and honoraria from Merck Serono, Biogen Idec and Novartis; all other authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Natalizumab is marketed by Biogen Idec. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLoS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: MT PI RGV. Performed the experiments: PI RGV DP GL EP BG VD MD MPA MT SZ. Analyzed the data: PI MT. Wrote the paper: PI RGV MT.