A new study conducted by Brigham Young University Professor Mary Davis found that people with a higher genetic risk of multiple sclerosis are likely to have an accelerated onset of the disease.

MS is complex, and Davis has been working to give patients and medical professionals amore clarity in navigating the disease. Her latest study could provide insight into the severity of a person’s diagnosis.

“As a whole MS scientific community, we’ve found about 200 areas of the genome that… if you have changes in them you’re more likely to get MS,” Davis said. “We looked at those, and we compared it to how old patients are when they get MS and we found that the more you have not only the more likely you are to get MS but the more likely you are to have it be earlier in life.”

The study was conducted by Davis along with students Will Brugger, Jeremy Beales and other colleagues. The researchers examined data from 3,945 MS patients finding that the mean age of onset was 32, with 71% of the sample population being female.

“The researchers carried out a comprehensive investigation of the risk variants with a statistical analysis of the data and found those with the greatest genetic risk burden were five years younger at onset than those with the lowest genetics risk burden,” stated a press release distributed by BYU. “The researchers suggest that since MS genetic risk is associated with age at onset of the disease and age of onset is a strong predictor of long-term outcomes for patients, genetics risk has a direct effect on patient outcomes.”

Finding that a higher genetic risk of MS means an accelerated onset of the disease could be vital as those who are diagnosed with MS earlier in life are more likely to face extreme symptoms.

If an individual is aware that they are at a higher risk of early onset MS through genetic testing, they could begin more aggressive treatment in the hope of better outcomes. According to Davis, the goal for those at risk is to delay the full onset of the disease as long as possible.

“There is data that shows if they start treatment immediately, they’re going to do better their whole life,” Davis said. “That way you will have the best chance of not accumulating disability in your life.”

Davis and her colleagues are seeking to use genetics to determine which MS treatments will work best for a patient so they can avoid extreme side effects and the added hassle of trial-and-error.

“The goal is to eventually have a full panel that anyone who is high risk of MS, or has maybe had one relapse and they’re wondering if it is MS, that the doctor can order the genetic panel and then come back and say ‘OK this is how high their risk is for MS, these are the treatments that will be effective for this patient… and these are the treatments that will have bad side effects for this patient.'” Davis said. “That way the clinician and the patient will have much more information to make their decisions off of.”

Newsletter