New research has revealed genetic features that may signal the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) long before a person shows symptoms of the disease, scientists say.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the body's immune system mistakenly attacking the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord. This inflammatory response leads to the damaging of myelin sheaths — the protective coverings that insulate nerve cells and facilitate efficient signal transmission. As a result, patients often experience debilitating symptoms such as pain, fatigue, numbness, weakness, and impaired vision or coordination.

The complexities of MS are compounded by a crucial subset of immune cells known as cytotoxic T cells. These cells are generally beneficial as they target and eliminate cancerous and infected cells in the body. However, their accumulation in areas of myelin damage raises critical questions about their pathological role in the MS progression.

Recognizing the unique challenges posed by MS, a groundbreaking study published in Science Immunology offers new insights into how genetic markers within T cells could serve as early indicators of the disease, potentially heralding an era of preemptive treatment strategies.

The study investigates the T cells from 12 pairs of identical twins, where one twin had been diagnosed with MS while the other had not. This unique design allows researchers to draw more accurate conclusions about the genetic factors leading to MS, as identical twins share nearly identical genetic makeups, making any divergence in their health outcomes particularly telling.

Dr. Lisa Ann Gerdes, a neuroimmunologist at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and lead author of the study, emphasizes the significance of this twin study: "Today, we have very good treatments for MS, but people can't be treated until they are diagnosed — and the risk factors, triggers, and earliest signs of MS are not completely understood."

This pioneering research provides exceptional opportunities to explore prodromal stages of MS, where traditional diagnostic methods may fall short, often revealing symptoms only after significant immune system activation has occurred.