FUMS 108 - A Cause for MS Has Been Found

FUMS: Giving Multiple Sclerosis The Finger

In January of 2022, one of the biggest MS news stories EVER was announced - that MS is probably caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), according to a study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers. Now, this link has long been suspected but here was proof!

My guest today is Kjetil Bjornevik, the lead author of the publication that got us all excited. Kjetil is an epidemiologist whose focus is on finding risk factors and better treatments for neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis.

As you'll hear, by opening the doors for future preventative treatments for EBV (one of which is in a Phase 1 clinical trial right now), this report points towards a way to prevent MS and the real possibility of a CURE.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What led Kjetil to specialize in neurological diseases in general and multiple sclerosis in particular
• A breakdown of the study and its findings
• EBV is one possible (but important) trigger of MS - what are the others?
• The possibility of an EBV vaccine and the effect this would have on people at risk of developing MS
• Future research at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that is of interest to the FUMS community

Full show notes and resources at https://fumsnow.com/fums108/