They’ve cracked MS
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This @CraigBrockie fella sounds a bit kookie ... (1) he posted such a long thread on the subject and yet managed to omit any link or citation of the research paper on which his entire thread is based, and (2) there is this sentence "Science is finally catching up to what natural health practitioners have known for decades" which does not inspire confidence -- no, the "natural health practitioners" do not "know," they merely "believe."
Anyway, I think this is the paper: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2419689122 , published in April 2025.
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Grok:
Yes, it is an exaggeration to claim that multiple sclerosis (MS) has been "cracked" based on this research.
The 2025 PNAS study (Yoon et al.) represents a significant advance in understanding potential environmental triggers for MS. Researchers used a clever twin design (81 monozygotic pairs discordant for MS) to minimize genetic confounders, identified differences in gut microbiota (particularly from the ileum), and showed that transferring microbiota from MS-affected twins into germ-free transgenic mice induced MS-like disease (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, or EAE) at higher rates than from healthy twins.
They implicated two low-abundance bacteria from the Lachnospiraceae family—Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium—as likely contributors, with blooms of these taxa observed in diseased mice. The study also noted sex-specific effects (higher susceptibility in females), aligning with the known 3:1 female-to-male ratio in human MS.
However, this does not mean the disease has been fully "cracked":
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MS etiology remains multifactorial — Strong genetic risk (e.g., HLA alleles), viral triggers (e.g., Epstein-Barr virus), lifestyle factors (smoking, vitamin D deficiency), and other environmental influences are well-established. The microbiome is one piece, likely acting as a trigger in genetically susceptible individuals rather than the sole cause.
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Evidence is correlative and model-based — While the mouse transfers provide functional evidence stronger than prior association studies, EAE is an imperfect model of human MS. The bacteria are described in the paper and commentaries as "likely responsible," "potential disease-causing," or "disease-facilitating"—not definitive causes.
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No cure or immediate treatment implications — The findings open doors to future interventions (e.g., targeted antibiotics, phages, probiotics, or diet to modulate these bacteria), but these are speculative and require extensive further research, including human trials.
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Coverage in scientific sources — Reputable outlets (ScienceAlert, Neuroscience News, Max Planck Society, MS Australia) frame it as a "breakthrough" identifying "specific bacteria that may trigger MS" or "potential triggers," emphasizing promise rather than resolution.
In summary, this is an exciting step forward—perhaps the strongest causal link yet between specific gut bacteria and MS initiation—but MS is far from solved or "cracked." It joins a growing body of evidence on the gut-brain axis in autoimmunity, but the full picture is still complex and incomplete.
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Good steps forward. When our 1st was born there was about 24 hours where the initial tests came back indicating possible MS. What an odd feeling. I grew up with a sister with special needs and know of the special burden it puts on parents, hard to convey to those never in the arena.
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Ugh that is tough. What a long stretch of years too. My sister is 38 now, she has SMS. It’s rare, no cure, and I try not to think about how unlucky one has to be to get it.
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/smith-magenis-syndrome/
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Nope. At age 30 (yes 30 years) my parents finally let her live with a group home. My dad understandably was stubborn about giving up control of his daughter. But eventually realize the reality. Basically she’s in a home where 1-4 adults with special needs live. The state gives the home “parent” money for it. She’s gone through a few homes, her main thing lately is a compulsive consumption thing…there’s a term for it, I forget, but she’ll drink mouth wash, swallow batteries (many, many times), but they’ve found a place that seems to be better than most now.
