28/04/2025
https://www.facebook.com/share/18Q3r8i6Km/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Scientists found the gut bacteria that trigger multiple sclerosis! This could let us treat (or even prevent) the disease.
In a major step toward understanding multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers have pinpointed two specific strains of gut bacteria that may play a key role in triggering the disease.
The study, led by a team from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, focused on 81 pairs of identical twins where one sibling had MS and the other did not.
This design allowed scientists to control for genetic and many environmental variables, honing in on the differences in gut microbiomes. The culprits? Two strains—Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium—were significantly more common in those with MS and, when transferred to mice, appeared to contribute to MS-like disease.
Though previous studies have hinted at a link between gut bacteria and MS, this is the most precise identification to date. While more research is needed, especially in humans, the findings support the growing theory that the gut-brain connection plays a role in autoimmune diseases like MS. Understanding how these bacteria influence immune responses could eventually lead to targeted treatments that prevent or slow disease progression by modifying the microbiome. The research opens new doors to how we might one day tackle MS—starting in the gut.
read the paper https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2419689122
