Genetics

Statins are famous for lowering LDL cholesterol, but could their relevance to multiple sclerosis (MS) hinge on something more immunological than metabolic? In this post, we unpack a genetics-driven study that uses Mendelian randomization to separate correlation from causality—testing whether blood lipids and statin-like pathways influence MS risk and severity. The key message is refreshingly nuanced: LDL-lowering itself doesn’t appear to explain MS risk, while HDL biology and a cholesterol-independent immune pathway involving RAC2 emerge as intriguing signals worth deeper investigation.