Blood test could predict multiple sclerosis years before symptoms
Scientists at UCSF have found that certain blood proteins could flag multiple sclerosis (MS) up to seven years before any symptoms show up.
Their study, just published in Nature Medicine, opens new opportunities for earlier diagnosis and, potentially, earlier intervention—well before MS causes lasting damage.
Protein levels spike years before MS symptoms
By studying blood from US military members who later got MS, researchers noticed that levels of a nerve-protecting protein (MOG) spiked about seven years ahead of symptoms.
Another marker for nerve damage (NfL) rose six years early, and an immune-related protein (IL-3) also increased.
They've suggested a panel of 21 proteins that might flag MS risk long before you'd ever notice anything was wrong.
Early detection could transform MS management
Catching MS this early could mean starting treatment sooner and slowing down the disease—something that is currently difficult because diagnosis often happens after symptoms appear.
The next step is to check if these protein signals work for everyone, not just in this group.
If so, it could seriously change how we handle a disease that still has no cure and often leads to disability.