COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Researchers have discovered the first genetic marker associated with the severity and progression of multiple sclerosis.
Neurology specialist Dr. Daniel Kantor said the finding offers hope for the nearly three million people globally who suffer from this incurable disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system.
“This can tell us that the gene is responsible for making a protein. Now maybe we can develop a medication that can stick to that protein and have an effect on it and maybe this can lead to more therapies,” said Kantor.
Kantor said current medications on the market only target the relapses of the disease, which can cause permanent damage to the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
MORE REASONS TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
A recent study finds that sleeping less than six hours a day may reduce the protective effect of regular physical activity against cognitive decline.
Researchers from University College London looked at a decade of cognitive function in nearly 9,000 people over the age of 50 in England.
The team found that people who were more physically active but had short sleeps, less than six hours on average, had faster cognitive decline overall.
Meaning that after 10 years their cognitive function was equivalent to peers who did less physical activity.