According to the invention, autoantibodies, the appearance of which is characteristic of neurological autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis, are detected and the respective autoantigens identified. It can further be shown that many of these autoantigens are expressed specifically in the brain. The identification of the autoantigens and autoantibodies is useful for diagnosis and treatment. A brain-specific expression of the autoantigens further emphasizes an important role of the antigens and antibodies in the origin and development of neurological autoimmune diseases.