New Test Developed for MS Patients

Australian researchers have made a “stunning breakthrough” in the testing of MS patients.

With the current tests that are being performed, patients have to wait weeks to determine if the medication is working or not. However, with this newly created blood test, patients will be able to find out which kind of MS they have and if the prescribed medicines are effectively working.

The test will not only speed up the process of determining what treatments will work, but will be much more inexpensive and cost effective.

Having the ability to know exactly what form of MS a patient has will give physicians the ability to recommend treatment quicker and more accurately in hope to slow down the progression the the disease.

The findings could also have positive implications for other conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and motor neuron disease.

The test relies on detecting compounds in a pathway of the brain using a substance called tryptophan. “By increasing our understanding of how our cells process tryptophan, we will be better able to identify its involvement in many neuro-degenerative diseases,” Professor Guillemin said.

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