Methods, compositions and kits based on TAM receptors, or TAM receptor ligands or agonists are for detection of neuropathological diseases or determination of their progression. The neural diseases include multiple sclerosis or other inflammatory neural disorders that are characterized by demyelination, oligodendrocyte cytotoxicity and microglial activation. These methods include screening cells of a subject where identification of an elevation of expression of a TAM receptor or a change in expression of a TAM receptor ligand indicates the presence of the disease presence or progression. In addition, subjects with such neuropathological diseases can be treated by administering TAM receptor ligands (such as GAS 6 or Protein S) or by administering agonists such as antibodies specific for the TAM receptors; Axl, Mer or Tyro3.