A breakthrough study led by the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital has revealed unique molecules in the blood of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) that could become definitive diagnostic biomarkers of the world's most common neurologic disability in young adults. Published online today (October 30, 2017) in Scientific Reports, the discovery identifies tiny “dysregulated” micro-RNA molecules that correctly diagnose MS and discriminate between patients at different disease stages - all in a simple blood test. The open-access article is titled “Exosomal MicroRNA Signatures in Multiple Sclerosis Reflect Disease Status.” Currently, there is no definitive test for MS. Diagnosis and disease monitoring rely on several parameters, including clinical examination, MRI, cerebrospinal fluid assessment, and electrophysiology. MS is a chronic disease, so current diagnostic and monitoring tests are costly and still have limited utility to discriminate between different stages of the disease. In addition to identifying biomarkers that distinguish healthy people from those with MS, the researchers identified nine unique micro-RNA molecules that differentiate between two MS sub-types: relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and progressive MS. Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) affects 70 percent of MS patients and often evolves into a secondary progressive form of MS. 10-15 percent of people with MS are diagnosed with a progressive form of the disease from the outset known as primary progressive MS. The team also validated eight out of nine micro-RNA molecules in an independent group of progressive MS cases, confirming the reproducibility of the findings.Login Or Register To Read Full Story