In a surprising discovery, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be much less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease than those who don’t have MS.
This unexpected finding could help researchers understand Alzheimer’s better and maybe even lead to new treatments in the future.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord. This can lead to many different symptoms, including problems with thinking and memory.
Alzheimer’s disease, in contrast, is a brain condition where harmful proteins called amyloid plaques build up over time, leading to memory loss and thinking problems.
The lead researcher of the study, Dr. Matthew Brier, explained that something about the biology or genetics of MS might actually protect people from Alzheimer’s. If researchers can figure out exactly what this protective factor is, it could help in creating new ways to fight Alzheimer’s disease.
The idea for this study came from Dr. Anne Cross, a specialist who has worked with MS patients for many years. She noticed that her patients rarely developed Alzheimer’s, even if they were old enough or had a family history of the disease. This observation led her to join Dr. Brier and other scientists to explore the connection more closely.
The team used a new and simple blood test developed at their university, called PrecivityAD2. This test can detect signs of amyloid plaques in the brain without the need for more complicated tests like brain scans or spinal taps.
They studied 100 people with MS and compared them to 300 people without MS who were similar in age and genetic risk for Alzheimer’s. The results were striking—people with MS were about 50% less likely to have amyloid plaques in their brains. This backed up Dr. Cross’s long-time observation.
Even more interesting, people with a more classic MS experience—like getting the disease at a younger age, having more flare-ups, or experiencing more severe symptoms—were even less likely to have these plaques. This means that the way MS behaves might actually play a role in protecting the brain from Alzheimer’s.
One idea is that the immune system, which is very active during MS flare-ups, might help clean out the amyloid plaques.
A type of brain cell called microglia, which acts like a cleaner in the brain, might be more active in MS patients and help remove the plaques. Studies in animals have shown that these microglia can clear out the harmful proteins that build up in Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Brier and Dr. Cross are now planning more studies. They want to look more closely at the genes involved and test what happens in animals with both MS and Alzheimer’s features. This could bring new knowledge that helps millions of people who are at risk for Alzheimer’s.
This research is a reminder that even diseases we see as harmful, like MS, might hold clues that help us solve other health mysteries. The study was published in the journal Annals of Neurology.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about Research shows root cause of Alzheimer’s disease and new treatment and findings of Scientists find the link between eye disease glaucoma and Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about Scientists find a new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease and findings of Fluctuating cholesterol and triglyceride levels are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
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