A genetic variant widely associated with Alzheimer’s disease may also contribute to more severe neurological damage in people with multiple sclerosis, according to a new study.
Researchers found that individuals with multiple sclerosis who carry the APOE4 gene variant experience greater neurodegeneration, including increased nerve damage, more extensive brain tissue changes, and slower cognitive processing compared with non carriers. The findings suggest that APOE4 may act as a genetic modifier, influencing disease severity and long term outcomes in multiple sclerosis.
The APOE gene provides instructions for producing apolipoprotein E, a protein involved in lipid transport and the repair of nerve cells. One variant of this gene, APOE4, is already known to increase the risk of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Its role in multiple sclerosis progression, however, has remained less clear.
To investigate this, researchers analysed data from the UK Biobank, focusing on 188 people with multiple sclerosis who had undergone genetic testing. Among them, 48 were carriers of the APOE4 variant and 140 were non carriers. The study assessed a range of clinical and biological markers commonly used to monitor multiple sclerosis.
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Blood tests revealed that APOE4 carriers had higher levels of biomarkers linked to nerve damage and glial activation, including neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Imaging data from optical coherence tomography and MRI scans also showed greater structural damage, including thinning of retinal nerve fibres and more widespread brain tissue changes.
Cognitive testing further demonstrated that carriers had slower reaction times, indicating reduced processing speed. Similar patterns were also observed in individuals without multiple sclerosis, suggesting that APOE4 may contribute to neurodegeneration more broadly.
Overall, the findings indicate that APOE4 may play a role in worsening disease severity in multiple sclerosis, highlighting the importance of genetic factors in shaping neurological outcomes and the potential for more personalised approaches to care.
This news item has been summarised using AI and checked by humans before publication.
Sources
Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical
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