The newly proclaimed Centre of Global Excellence at Rigshospitalet cracks the code to multiple sclerosis

The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre at Rigshospitalet was recently nominated as a Centre of Global Excellence. At the same time the Centre and international research partners could reveal which genes are in play when people are affected by multiple sclerosis.

It was the world’s largest and most comprehensive genetic study ever, comprising 17,000 patients and 17,000 control subjects, and the results were published in one of the world’s leading journals; Nature.

According to Annette Bang Oturai, PhD and Consultant Surgeon at the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre, Rigshospitalet, studies found 29 genetic variations which may be at the genetic root of the disease.

Denmark is one of the countries in the world with the highest incidence of sclerosis. About 10,000 Danes suffer from this chronic disease, which attacks the central nerve system and is the most frequently occurring neurological disease in young men and women between 20-40 years old.

Until today, the reasons for the disease have been something of a mystery. It is known that a mixture of genetics and environmental factors may cause the disease under unfortunate circumstances. However, so far it has been unknown exactly which genes are in play.