Top 10 MS news stories of 2025

Throughout 2025, the team at Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought our readers the latest advances and updates in research related to multiple sclerosis (MS).

Below are the top 10 most-read news stories we published this year. We look forward to continuing to serve the MS community in 2026 and the years beyond.

No. 10 – Inflammatory molecules disrupt growth of myelin-making cells

Researchers reported that inflammatory signaling molecules commonly elevated in MS can interfere with the growth and maturation of oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for producing myelin in the brain and spinal cord. Myelin is a fatty covering that surrounds nerve fibers and helps them send electrical signals, but it is damaged in MS. The findings offer new insights into how inflammation may prevent myelin repair in MS.

Read more here.

No. 9 – Investigational medicine promotes myelin repair in preclinical models

An experimental therapy called 2-D08 was found to promote myelin repair and improve motor function in animal models of MS. Currently, there are no approved treatments that can promote myelin repair in MS, and identifying treatments that can restore myelin is widely regarded as a holy grail in MS research. The findings suggest that 2-D08 may be a promising MS treatment, though further studies of its safety and effectiveness are needed.

Read more here.

No. 8 – High levels of thyroid hormone linked to MS risk

Higher levels of the thyroid hormone FT4 are associated with an increased risk of developing MS, according to an analysis of genetic data from thousands of individuals. Studies have suggested that MS patients have high rates of thyroid disease, but it hasn’t been clear if this is because MS causes thyroid dysfunction or if thyroid dysfunction is a risk factor for MS. The study published in March suggests that thyroid problems may help set the stage for MS, rather than being a consequence of MS.

Read more here.

No. 7 – Some exercises for balance are better suited for certain issues

A small study found that certain exercises are more effective than others in alleviating specific balance issues in people with MS. For example, exercises that target the vestibular system, which senses the body’s position in three-dimensional space, resulted in the greatest improvements in balance while the individual was stationary. On the other hand, exercises to strengthen muscles that maintain posture were best for people with balance difficulties during movement.

Read more here.

No. 6 – More sensitive tools can measure early disability in MS

Researchers in Italy reported that alternative clinical tools, such as measuring how high a patient is able to jump, may detect subtle functional deficits in people with MS more effectively than the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the most commonly used tool for tracking disability in MS. Even people with minimal disability scores on the EDSS scale can show subtle impairments when assessed with these tools.

Read more here.

No. 5 – High rates of cognitive impairment in untreated MS patients

A study of 140 adults with MS who had never received treatment found that more than one-quarter reported some amount of cognitive impairment, such as difficulty with memory or thinking through complex tasks. The analysis showed that cognitive impairment was especially common among people with secondary progressive MS, and that people with cognitive impairment had significantly higher disability levels.

Read more here.

No. 4 – Age at MS diagnosis affects long-term health outcomes

People who are diagnosed with MS at younger ages tend to have better long-term physical health but poorer mental health than those diagnosed later in life, according to an analysis of nearly 700 patients in Canada. Researchers found that disability levels accounted for approximately two-thirds of the differences, suggesting that other factors, such as one’s ability to self-regulate and how the disease affects social participation, may also play a role.

Read more here.

No. 3 – Fat types in food affect MS outcomes from ketogenic diet

Including long-chain saturated fatty acids, such as those in butter and fatty red meat, into a ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in fats, was found to worsen disease severity in a mouse model of MS. Some research has indicated that this type of diet may help reduce inflammation in MS, but these findings show that the type of fat included in a ketogenic diet may substantially influence outcomes in MS.

Read more here.

No. 2 – Vitamin D may help delay early MS disease activity

Results from a Phase 3 clinical trial showed that high-dose vitamin D significantly reduced the risk of further disease activity in people with clinically isolated syndrome and early relapsing-remitting MS. Low levels of vitamin D have been identified as a risk factor for developing MS, but it remains controversial whether vitamin D supplements might be beneficial for people who already have the disease. The findings suggest that vitamin D may help delay the onset of new MRI activity, although no significant differences were observed in relapses.

Read more here.

No. 1 – Ketogenic diet may lessen inflammatory cell activity in MS

In a Phase 2 clinical trial, people with MS who followed the modified Atkins diet, a less restrictive version of the ketogenic diet that doesn’t require the same degree of carbohydrate limitation, had changes in immune cell activity consistent with reduced inflammation. Earlier data from that trial had also demonstrated that patients reported significant improvements in physical function, quality of life, and reductions in several MS symptoms after six months on the diet.

Read more here.

We hope these stories and all of our reporting in 2025 have been a useful resource for the MS community. We wish all our readers a bright and joyous new year!