Genetics

Multiple sclerosis isn’t just about “bad luck” or what shows up on your MRI—there’s a quiet tug-of-war happening between the genes you were born with and the chemistry of your everyday life. This blog post walks through how hundreds of small genetic variants subtly prime the immune system, and how shifting patterns of metabolites in your blood and spinal fluid reveal cells under stress, inflammation, and repair. By connecting genetics, metabolomics, and real clinical outcomes like disability and brain atrophy, we explore whether these molecules are simply smoke from the fire, or part of what’s actually feeding the flames—and how this growing knowledge could eventually guide more personalized MS monitoring and treatment.