Scientists have uncovered the early mechanism of brain damage in multiple sclerosis

Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, have found that multiple sclerosis begins to destroy the brain long before the first symptoms appear. The study showed that several years before the diagnosis, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective "insulation" of nerve fibers. This was reported in the journal Medical Xpress.

Previously, it was believed that brain damage begins at the moment of the first complaints. However, UCSF researchers discovered the NfL (light chain neurofilament) protein in the blood of patients long before the development of clinical signs of MS. Its presence indicates the destruction of neurons, which occurs in the asymptomatic phase.

It turned out that about seven years before a person is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an increase in the level of MOG protein is detected in his blood. This protein signals damage to myelin, the protective sheath of nerves that acts as insulation for wires in an electrical cable. About a year after that, the level of NfL protein increases, which already indicates damage to the nerve cells themselves.

At the same time, special signaling proteins of the immune system are activated, in particular interleukin-3 (IL-3), which attracts immune cells to the brain and spinal cord. These cells begin to destroy nervous structures even before a person feels any symptoms of the disease.

The head of the study, UCSF Professor of neurology Ahmed Abdelhak, noted that the discovery opens up new possibilities for the diagnosis and monitoring of MS.:

"This is the first time we have seen the sequence of events leading to the disease. This could be a breakthrough in understanding and treating multiple sclerosis," the scientist said.

The researchers identified about 50 proteins predicting the development of the disease, and filed a patent for a diagnostic test based on 21 of them. The main author of the work, Dr. Ari Green, emphasized that the results give hope for preventing the disease.

"Now we know that multiple sclerosis begins much earlier than its clinical manifestation. This creates a real opportunity to prevent the disease in the future or at least stop its progression," he concluded.

Nervous explosion: there is a shortage of medicines for multiple sclerosis in eight regions

The available reserves will last for six months, Roszdravnadzor said.

On May 27, neurologist Vitaly Akimov told Izvestia which groups of people are most susceptible to multiple sclerosis. According to the doctor, the risk group includes young women from 12 to 40 years old, with a peak onset of the disease at 17-19 years old, with close relatives with multiple sclerosis, living in northern latitudes, who have had viral infections.

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