Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

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This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Content is sourced from third parties, and we do not guarantee accuracy or accept any liability for its use. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical guidance.

What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath insulating nerve fibers in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), leading to inflammation, demyelination, and eventual scarring (sclerosis) that disrupts nerve signals. This results in a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, spasticity, vision problems (optic neuritis), bladder/bowel dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and depression. MS affects over 2.8 million people globally in 2025, with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS, 85% of cases) featuring episodes of symptoms followed by recovery, progressing to secondary progressive MS (SPMS) in 50% within 10-20 years, or primary progressive MS (PPMS, 10-15%) with steady worsening. It is more common in women (3:1 ratio) and individuals aged 20-40, with environmental factors like low vitamin D or viral infections contributing to onset in genetically susceptible people.

How MRI is Used for It

MRI is the primary imaging tool for MS, providing detailed views of demyelinating lesions as hyperintense spots on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences in characteristic locations like periventricular, juxtacortical, infratentorial, and spinal cord areas, with gadolinium contrast highlighting active inflammation in new lesions for distinguishing acute from chronic activity. It supports the McDonald criteria for diagnosis, requiring dissemination in space and time, with 90% sensitivity for RRMS. Serial MRI monitors disease progression, treatment efficacy (e.g., reduced new lesions with disease-modifying therapies), and detects subclinical activity. Spinal MRI identifies cord lesions contributing to disability. In 2025, advanced techniques like double inversion recovery (DIR) improve cortical lesion detection by 30%, and AI analyzes lesion load for predictive modeling of disability progression with 85% accuracy.

What the Future Outlook is

In 2025, MS prognosis varies, with 70% of RRMS patients maintaining mobility 20 years post-diagnosis, but 30% progressing to SPMS with accumulating disability; life expectancy is reduced by 5-10 years, mainly from complications like infections. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) like ocrelizumab or siponimod reduce relapses by 60-80% and slow progression by 20-30%. Future research focuses on remyelination agents (e.g., opicinumab in trials), stem cell therapies restoring myelin (early phase showing 40% improvement in animal models), and AI for personalized DMT selection. EBV-targeted vaccines could prevent 90% of cases if linked to onset. By 2030, neuroprotective drugs and gene editing might halt progression in 50% of patients, extending disability-free life by 10 years.

What Diagnosis is Used

Diagnosis of MS relies on clinical history (relapses, symptoms), neurological exam (e.g., expanded disability status scale), and supportive tests. MRI is central, showing lesions meeting dissemination criteria. Lumbar puncture analyzes CSF for oligoclonal bands (90% positive in MS). Evoked potentials (visual, auditory) detect subclinical demyelination. Blood tests rule out mimics (e.g., vitamin B12 deficiency, Lyme). In 2025, AI integrates MRI with biomarkers for 95% diagnostic accuracy, reducing time to diagnosis from months to weeks.

Sources

The information is sourced from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s “MRI and MS,” 2025 for how MRI is used; Mayo Clinic’s “Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis,” 2025 for diagnostic methods; PMC’s “MRI in Multiple Sclerosis: Advances in 2025,” 2025 for future outlook.