Will This “Incurable” Disease Have a Cure At Last?

Two newly-released studies are giving scientists a better idea of what causes multiple sclerosis (MS) and what can be done to prevent – or potentially even cure it.

MS is a progressive and presently incurable disease that affects 2.8 million people worldwide, and its causes remain unknown. However, a recent study, led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States, revealed compelling evidence that MS may be a delayed reaction following infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

“This is a big step because it suggests that most MS cases could be prevented by stopping EBV infection, and that targeting EBV could lead to the discovery of a cure for MS,” says Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard Chan School and senior author of the study. 

Another study, performed by an international team of researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, discovered that the oligodendrocytes cell located in the central nervous system may have a role in the development of MS. The two studies are giving scientists a better idea of what is potentially causing MS, and the central component needed in order to find effective therapies, treat, and potentially even prevent MS altogether.