Genetics

Multiple sclerosis is no longer seen as just an immune disease of “bad luck,” but as the outcome of a lifelong dialogue between genes, environment, and the body’s chemistry. Building on large genetic studies that map hundreds of small DNA changes linked to MS risk, researchers are now layering in metabolomics—the measurement of thousands of small molecules in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue—to capture what those genes are actually doing in real time. This blog post explores how risk variants in immune and central nervous system pathways intersect with disrupted energy, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, creating a biochemical fingerprint that can differ between relapsing and progressive disease. By connecting DNA-level susceptibility with metabolite-based biomarkers, scientists are moving toward earlier diagnosis, more precise disease subtyping, and truly personalized treatment strategies that target not only immune attacks, but also the metabolic vulnerabilities that help drive neurodegeneration in MS.