Grant: Project Grant

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. This condition can lead to a range of symptoms, such as trouble walking, fatigue, and vision problems. MS mainly affects young adults and is a major cause of disability in this age group. Around the world, nearly 3 million people live with MS. Before clear symptoms of MS appear, a period known as the "prodromal" phase may occur, which can last months to years. In this phase, people may have subtle signs or symptoms that suggest MS might develop later on. Recognizing individuals in this early phase is crucial, as they might benefit from early treatments, and perhaps delay or even prevent the more severe symptoms. While some studies have given us hints about this prodromal phase, no reliable method has yet been established to predict who is in this phase. Our team aims to change this by creating a special tool (an algorithm) that can calculate the likelihood of someone being in this early phase. To build this tool, we are studying over two decades of health data from British Columbia (BC), Canada. To test the tool's effectiveness, we are applying it to similar health data from Sweden. We will compare the information of those who later developed MS with those who did not, looking for patterns. These patterns include previous doctor visits, medication use, age, and more. Using advanced data analysis techniques, we will test different combinations of these patterns to see which best predicts the MS prodromal phase. By the end of our research, we hope to have a reliable tool that can calculate a person's risk of being in the early stages of MS. Such a tool can revolutionize how we approach MS. It can help researchers find potential participants for clinical trials testing new treatments, allow doctors to manage the disease earlier, and most importantly, offer people a chance to tackle MS before it fully sets in.