An international team of researchers led by the University of British Columbia has made a scientific advance they hope will lead to the development of preventative treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).
An international team of researchers led by the University of British Columbia has made a scientific advance they hope will lead to the development of preventative treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).
In a study published today in PLOS Genetics, researchers found mutations in 12 genes believed to be largely responsible for the onset of MS in families with multiple members diagnosed with the disease.
“These genes are like a lighthouse illuminating where the root cause of MS is,” said lead author Carles Vilariño-Güell, assistant professor in the UBC faculty of medicine’s department of medical genetics and a Michael Smith Scholar.
MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system, in which cells from the immune system attack and damage the nerve cells’ protective sheath. The disease often results in disability and can have a significant impact on quality of life.
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Image: Assistant professor in the UBC faculty of medicine's department of medical genetics. (Credit: University of British Columbia)
