Studies Show Link Between Multiple Sclerosis And Gut Bacteria

Published September 13, 2017 at 12:52 PM EDT

An MRI scan of a brain from a person with multiple sclerosis. (National Institutes of Health/Flickr)

Two recent studies have found strong evidence that intestinal bacteria play a role in multiple sclerosis, an incurable autoimmune disease. The studies advance our understanding of how the microbiome is linked to multiple sclerosis and what potential treatments or prevention methods might be developed for the disease.

Here & Now‘s Meghna Chakrabarti talks with Sharon Begley (@sxbegle) of our partners at STAT about what the findings mean.

Fund the Facts

You just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you.

If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — Connecticut.

Donate

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Fund the Facts

You just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you.

If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — Connecticut.

Donate