Latest developments in MS research:
1. Why does inflammation in progressive multiple sclerosis never stop? Researchers may have found one answer — a rare group of aging brain cells called DARGs.
2. Is depression in people with MS the same as depression in the general population — or could it be a distinct condition with its own biological and clinical features?
3. Could the presence of a paramagnetic phase rim reveal the age of MS lesions?
These noteworthy MS news highlights and more are included in our recently published ECTRIMS Research Updates – a 30-day snapshot of global news and publications on MS research, treatment, and care.
ECTRIMS Research Updates can be sent to you every month, delivered straight to your inbox, via our free subscription service. Simply select all “topics” that are of interest to you, and when one of those appears in our news and publication cycle, you’ll be sure to hear from us.
Pathogenesis
Integrated omics reveals disease-associated radial glia-like cells with epigenetically dysregulated interferon response in multiple sclerosis
Senescent brain cells may drive chronic inflammation in progressive multiple sclerosis, new study finds.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Aging have discovered a rare population of cells – called DARGs (disease-associated radial glia-like cell) – that show signs of premature aging and strong response to the immune signal interferon.
Scientists reprogrammed skin cells from people with progressive MS into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) preserving their epigenome. A subset of these cells developed into a unique cell type, known as radial glia-like cells that triggered inflammation into nearby brain cells, causing them to age prematurely. Remarkably, this process could be blocked with senolytic treatment.
DARGs may play a key role in driving neurodegeneration in progressive MS, revealing a potential new target for future therapies.
Spatially-restricted inflammation-induced senescent-like glia in multiple sclerosis and patient-derived organoids
Nature Communications | September 2025
Chronic inflammation in multiple sclerosis may accelerate brain aging, researchers show.
This study explores how persistent inflammation in MS could trigger cellular senescence in MS progression. Using advanced single-cell and spatial transcriptomic techniques, researchers found that senescent-like glial cells accumulate in diseased white matter, particularly within chronic active lesions.
Laboratory experiments using patient-derived brain organoids showed that microglia are especially prone to this inflammation-induced aging process – but that anti-inflammatory drugs – that can penetrate the central nervous system – can partially reverse it. In clinical MRI data from 466 patients, those with more than four chronic active lesions also showed signs on MRI of accelerated “brain aging.”
Together, these findings suggest that chronic inflammation may promote premature cellular aging in MS, contributing to progression — and that targeting this process could offer new therapeutic opportunities.
Clinical
Is multiple sclerosis-related depression different from depression in general? The data for and against
Could depression in multiple sclerosis be a unique disorder? This comprehensive review raises the question.
Depression affects people with MS two to three times more often than those without the disease. Researchers reviewed 114 studies (from January 2018 to December 2024) to investigate whether “MS-related depression” might be a distinct condition.
They found that while symptoms and impacts — such as cognitive changes, work difficulties, and reduced quality of life — are similar, their severity is often greater in MS. Biological markers findings largely overlap with those seen in depression without MS. Scientists once thought that MS-related depression might have a unique immune “fingerprint” — involving certain immune cells (called CD4+ T cells) with a Th1 predilection. But current findings suggest that this pattern does not differ from what is observed in depression in the general population. There is considerable neuroimaging commonality, particularly in limbic regional involvement.
However, a few differences — such as the lack of a clear sex effect and hints of a possible MS-linked genetic predisposition — suggest there may be unique elements.
The findings highlight the need for direct comparative studies to determine whether MS depression represents a distinct disorder. Understanding this could lead to more tailored treatments and improve the well-being of people living with MS.
Imaging and Non-Imaging Biomarkers
The presence of a paramagnetic phase rim in multiple sclerosis is linked to lesion age: An exploratory study
Multiple Sclerosis Journal | October 2025
PRLs identified as a dynamic biomarker of lesion age in MS.
This study investigates the association between paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) presence and disease progression and explores how PRLs relate to lesion size and age.
In a cohort of 60 people with relapsing-remitting MS followed for over five years, PRLs were found to be larger, more structurally damaged, and associated with both clinical worsening – EDSS change – and brain atrophy.
PRLs represented 13% of the lesions and were observed in almost half of patients.
Notably, the proportion of rim-positive lesions decreased as lesion age increased. These findings, confirmed in two independent cohorts, support the role of PRLs as a dynamic biomarker of lesion activity in MS.