New diagnosis test for multiple sclerosis discovered

Israeli scientists claim to have developed a blood test that can identify genetic biomarkers for multiple sclerosis (MS).

This means that a blood test may be able to identify people who will go on to develop MS almost a decade before any of the symptoms occur, according to an article in the Neurobiology of Disease journal.

People likely to develop the condition can then benefit from early intervention therapies which may delay or reduce the impact of the symptoms associated with the condition, according to professor Anat Achiron of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine.

She said of the discovery: "Those who will develop MS will show a different blood signature from those who will not.

"When we compared the gene expression signatures, we saw a similar pattern of the same working biological processes."

According to the MS Society, MS is caused by the destruction myelin, a protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres.

The charity also claims that there are around 100,000 people in the UK living with condition.

Read about Barchester expertise in offering multiple sclerosis support.