The Impact of Aging on Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose of Review Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Age is one of the most important factors in determining MS phenotype. This review provides an overview of how age influences MS clinical characteristics, pathology, and treat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current neurology and neuroscience reports 2024-04, Vol.24 (4), p.83-93
Main Authors: Goyne, Christopher E., Fair, Ashley E., Sumowski, Paige E., Graves, Jennifer S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Central nervous system
Demyelinating diseases
Demyelination
Immune response
Immunosenescence
Innate immunity
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Multiple sclerosis
Neurology
Neurosciences
Phenotypes
Review
Topical Collection on Demyelinating Disorders
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Summary:Purpose of Review Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Age is one of the most important factors in determining MS phenotype. This review provides an overview of how age influences MS clinical characteristics, pathology, and treatment. Recent findings New methods for measuring aging have improved our understanding of the aging process in MS. New studies have characterized the molecular and cellular composition of chronic active or smoldering plaques in MS. These lesions are important contributors to disability progression in MS. These studies highlight the important role of immunosenescence and the innate immune system in sustaining chronic inflammation. Given these changes in immune function, several studies have assessed optimal treatment strategies in aging individuals with MS. Summary MS phenotype is intimately linked with chronologic age and immunosenescence. While there are many unanswered questions, there has been much progress in understanding this relationship which may lead to more effective treatments for progressive disease.
ISSN:1528-4042
1534-6293
DOI:10.1007/s11910-024-01333-2