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Two novel sub-genres multiple sclerosis (MS) has been identified, a potential discovery Paving the way for new treatments.
Employed researchers Artificial Intelligence (AI) Brain scans and serum levels of neurofilament light chain (sNfL), a blood marker of nerve cell damage, were assessed.
Experts from Queen Square Analytics and University College London analyzed 634 people with MS and identified two “biological subtypes of MS”.
One of them, called “early sNfL,” showed high levels of blood biomarkers early in the disease, along with damage to the corpus callosum, a brain region critical for thinking, memory and movement coordination.
Another subtype, late-stage sNfL, shows a later increase in sNfL accompanied by “early volume loss of cortical and deep gray matter volume,” the authors write in the journal Brain.
The study’s lead author, Dr Arman Eshaghi, from the Department of Computer Science at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and UCL’s Hawkes Institute, said: “Using conventional brain images and a blood marker of nerve cell damage (neurofilament light), we identified two distinct biological trajectories of multiple sclerosis.
“This helps explain why people with multiple sclerosis can follow different paths and is a step towards more personalized monitoring and treatment. treat.
“The current labels of relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive and primary progressive do not provide this stratification, and this work from institutions such as UCL and Queen Square Analytics is helping to change our understanding and definition of MS types and their treatments in the near future.”
MS is a condition Affects the brain and spinal cord. In multiple sclerosis, the protective membrane surrounding nerve cells is damaged, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, pain, cramps and difficulty walking.
Caitlin Astbury, senior research communications manager at the Multiple Sclerosis Society, told the Guardian: “This study used machine learning to look at MRI and biomarker data from people with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive forms of MS.
“By combining these data, they were able to identify two new biological subtypes of MS.
“In recent years, we have gained a better understanding of the biology of this disease.
“However, currently, the definition is based on the clinical symptoms a person experiences.
“Multiple sclerosis is complex and these categories often do not accurately reflect what is happening in the body, making effective treatment difficult.”
She added: “The more we know about this condition, the more likely we are to find treatments that halt the progression of the disease.”