It is assumed that 2.5 million people are affected worldwide. A combination of genetic risk factors and environmental factors such as vitamin D deficiency, smoking, shift work, infectious or comorbidities is considered to be the reason for the onset of the autoimmune disease. Researchers have now discovered inflammatory markers that are responsible for the disease-related immune changes in multiple sclerosis in a study with pairs of twins, one of whom had MS.
These are so-called virgin T helper cells that are in transition to activated helper cells and in which miscommunication in the immune system has been observed. This leads to an excessive inflammatory reaction in the body.
