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It seems that biomarkers research is growing, and, appart of their importance for diagnosis, they can shed light into the ultimate causes of MS.

No cure for MS will appear while we don't understand what it is.

Does anybody else think that we need a subforum about basic research and biomarkers? Or about research into the causes of MS?

Some information about biomarkers that I have just found:

http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content ... 3.full.pdf

They give a very interesting classification for biomarkers:

- A type 0 biomarker is a marker of the natural history of a disease and correlates longitudinally with known clinical indices.
- A type I biomarker captures the effects of a therapeutic intervention in accordance with its mechanism of action.
- A surrogate endpoint is a biomarker that is intended to serve as a substitute for a clinically meaningful endpoint and is expected to predict the effect of a therapeutic intervention.

Research into type 0 biomarkers should be a priority, from my point of view.

NOTE: Edited for grammar.

frodo wrote:No cure for MS will appear until we don't understand what it is.

Well, if thats the case, I am expecting a cure anytime now! couldn't resist. sorry.

CureOrBust wrote:

frodo wrote:No cure for MS will appear until we don't understand what it is.

Well, if thats the case, I am expecting a cure anytime now! couldn't resist. sorry.

Thanks for the correction. I have fixed it.

frodo wrote:

CureOrBust wrote:

frodo wrote:No cure for MS will appear until we don't understand what it is.

Well, if thats the case, I am expecting a cure anytime now! couldn't resist. sorry.

Thanks for the correction. I have fixed it.

I don't think knowing the cause is necessary to find a cure. My money is on us finding one long before we know the cause. Especially if we can charge a lot of money for it. Knowing the cause is, as we know completely unnecessary.

Are there any biomarkers for CCSVI?

I would think a test that involves sacrificing one mouse to give it the CSF from a spinal tap of a potential MS patient would be a very conclusive, if long, test. There could even be a fledgeling dropout mouse industry developed as genes are discovered...

Tune in! Turn on! Drop out! Be the 1st mouse on your block to develop MS Lesions! Join the MS Mouse Lesionairres! You may already be a weiner! Or in one!