Scientists discovering two new biological types of MS using artificial intelligence have paved the way for personalized treatments tailored to each patient’s individual biology, instead of common methods. This strategic step aims to predict the course of the disease early, provide the most appropriate intervention, and prevent nerve damage.
Elchi.az reports that until now, treatment processes for MS, a disease affecting millions of people worldwide, were generally shaped according to the external symptoms shown by the patient. However, this method did not always bring the expected success; because the treatments applied sometimes did not correspond to the fundamental biological changes in the patient’s body. This new study, led by University College London (UCL) and involving 600 patients, goes beyond traditional methods and explores the basis of the disease.
Researchers combined sNfL levels, a specific protein that signals damage to nerve cells, with advanced brain scans. The advanced artificial intelligence model called SuStaIn analyzed this complex data and determined that the disease follows two different paths. In the first type, called “early-stage protein increase,” nerve damage increases rapidly at the very beginning of the disease, causing serious damage to certain areas of the brain. This indicates that the disease will show a more aggressive course. In the second type, the process progresses more slowly; structural changes in the brain occur silently long before protein levels rise.
The most interesting aspect of this discovery is that doctors can now see which patient is more likely to face which risks. Thanks to artificial intelligence, once the patient’s subtype is understood, the most effective treatment method can be chosen before permanent damage occurs. While the most powerful drugs can be applied directly to patients with aggressive types, patients with slower-progressing types can be offered special therapies that protect nerve cells.
This development, which combines clinical examination methods that have remained unchanged for centuries with the digital revolution, fundamentally changes the definition of MS. Now, patients will be treated not only for their symptoms but also for the actual changes in their cells. According to scientists, this is not just a discovery; This is the beginning of a new and promising era in which the disease can be stopped for millions of people living with MS.
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