Study Funded by the National MS Society Identifies Risk Factors For Developing MS

Background: Radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) is diagnosed when people have brain scans that show features similar to MS, but do not have MS-like symptoms. People with RIS are at a high risk of developing MS and more than half do so within 10 years. Knowing risk factors that predict who will develop MS after an RIS diagnosis could help guide more effective treatment decisions.The Study: Researchers studied 273 people with RIS, following their health over an average of 5 years. They analyzed proteins found in spinal fluid and blood samples collected near the time of diagnosis and gathered information on lifestyle and environmental factors such as smoking and sun exposure. The goal was to see who went on to develop MS symptoms and to identify which biological markers or environmental factors were linked to a higher or lower risk of symptom onset.Results: Of the 273 people with RIS, a total of 101 people (37%) developed MS symptoms. Many biological markers were associated with a higher risk of developing MS symptoms, including proteins related to inflammation in the brain and spinal cord and nerve cell damage. Other environmental factors were associated with a lower risk of developing MS symptoms, including high sunlight exposure. Measuring a combination of these factors allowed researchers to predict the likelihood of developing MS symptoms within 5 years.Why Does This Matter? Understanding the risk factors for developing MS symptoms after an RIS diagnosis could help guide treatment decisions, including identifying people who are at a higher risk of developing MS and starting treatment sooner.Learn More…The cause of MS remains unknown, but researchers have identified some risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing MS. Watch a video to learn more.Learn how this project, and others, are supporting the Pathways to Cures plan and getting us closer to Ending MS. Read the scientific summary: “Prognostic Factors for Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in Radiologically Isolated Syndrome” by Nicolas Fissolo, Sabine Schaedelin, Luisa M. Villar, Jan D. Lunemann, Jorge Correale, Konrad Rejdak, Nicholas Schwab, Andreu Vilaseca, Friederike Held, Antonio Garcia-Merino, Stefan Bittner, Maria Trojano, Roberto Furlan, Hayrettin Tumani, Francisco Perez-Miralles, Igal Rosenstein, Daniela Galimberti, Gary Alvarez-Bravo, Eric Thouvenot, Sara Llufriu, Samia J. Khoury, Robert Hoepner, Sergio Martinez-Yelamos, Harald Hegen, Jelena Drulovic, Neus Tellez-Lara, Michael Khalil, Johanna Oechtering, Angel Perez-Sempere, Alfredo Rodriguez-Antiguedad, Jose Enrique-Martinez, Eva Strijbis, Joep Killestein, Sara Eichau, Elena Colombo, Jonas Schaller-Nagengast, Luciana Midaglia, Antonio J. Sanchez-Lopez, Enric Monreal, Andrew Chan, Friedemann Paul, Alex Rovira, Mar Tintore, Jan Lycke, Frauke Zipp, Bernhard Hemmer, Jens Kuhle, Xavier Montalban, Manuel Comabella, and the RIS Study Group. Published in JAMA Neurology (2025).